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A compilation of stories, telescopes, internship resources, and other things radio astronomy.
Filtering by Category: Culture
On July 5, 2016, Alex and I (with the help of my mom) brought Guenther to the United States of America for the first time. Between moving out of our home in Cologne and making our trans-Atlantic journey, we stayed in Duesseldorf, the capital of NRW which lies under an hour north up the Rhein from Cologne by train.
Upon returning to the USA after 11 months in Germany, I have come to appreciate things about living in both countries that, without my Fulbright, I probably would not have noticed.
Read MoreWith the end of my life in Germany drawing near, I took a whirlwind tour of Nordrhein-Westfalen with my family, going to places in and around Cologne I've wanted to visit (or re-visit) before moving back to the States.
Read MoreJust seven days after visiting the U.S. Consulate, Günther received proof of his American citizenship. Applying for and waiting for the arrival of Güni's Consular Report of Birth Abroad and Paß was nothing short of nerve-wracking.
Read MoreWhen I am in public with Guenther, people seem to forget that Germans generally don't interact with strangers. It is apparent that Germans love babies, and they are not shy to express this.
Read MoreGerman is characterized as being a strong and harsh language. Surprisingly, while delivery a baby, it gave way to perhaps the most soothing and encouraging words I've ever heard.
Read MoreAs I am two days away from my baby’s due date, I still cannot believe I have experienced German Kultur around pregnancy and birth first-hand. One year ago, I still insisted I wouldn’t have any children until after grad school and probably not until I had a steady job. Yet here I am, cultural ambassador aus den USA, about to help boost Germany’s declining birthrate.
Read MoreThe Fulbright Berlin Seminar is a five-day conference in the capital of Germany, bringing together about 500 Fulbrighters in Europe (both U.S. students in Europe and German students about to leave for the States) to celebrate "building the transatlantic future."
Read MoreIn German, "Leiden" means to suffer. Luckily the only suffering a weekend getaway to this Dutch city yielded was sore feet after touring (and climbing through) a windmill.
Read MoreSankt Goar is a small town along the Rhein about an hour-and-a-half south of Köln by train. Its lack of grocery store to buy refreshments for the hotel room is more than made up by its great view of three castles.
Read MoreDie fünfte Jahreszeit hat beendent! Karneval, which began on November 11 at 11:11, has finally come to a close. While I had heard that the first day of the season was nothing compared to the last week, I was not adequately prepared for the crowds, the costumes, the volume, and the fun that ensued just before the beginning of Lent.
Read MoreDüren is a town just 40 minutes from Köln by train. Home to the paper industry in Germany, a cozy hotel, and better clothes shopping that I've found in Köln thus far, Düren made a perfect weekend getaway (even if it was cold and rainy).
Read MoreSurprisingly, a trip to Norwich, England, afforded more culture shock than moving to Köln, Germany. Despite (almost) sharing a common language, being in the U.K. is marked by a strange blend of American and German characteristics.
Read MoreNobody does Christmas better than Germany. From Christmas markets to Advent calendars, living the German traditions that inspired many of our American ones made for a most magical holiday.
Read MoreCooking Thanksgiving dinner in a country where it isn't celebrated can pose some challenges, but it is also an opportunity for the holiday to be extra special.
Read MoreAh, Deutschland. A country where everything makes sense… until it just doesn’t. Already preparations for the Lenten season are underway, and we are over a month away from Christmas. In the United States, we bring in Lent with donuts the day before Ash Wednesday, unless, of course, you celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans; In Köln, we bring it in with Karneval.
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