June 21 2012

Today we only had the first two sections of class with Frau Schimmelpfennig, the last section after lunch was scheduled to be an MSU class.

We began the day going over grammar and vocabulary which is a nice change. We did some readings and listened to some songs and studied the lyrics and in general I felt like I was learning something. After our first break we went over what we are doing next Tuesday – we were given three choices:

1. Leipzig and a tour led by us students

2. Leucorea

3. Bike Ride on the Elbe

Of course the third choice was changed to a walk along the Elbe since so many students don’t have bikes. No one really wants to go to class in the Leucorea if we have another option, so Leipzig was decided on. However, we didn’t know we would have extra homework by choosing Leipzig.

Once Leipzig was decided on, we were each given a sheet with a place on it that is in Leipzig. We have to know our place well enough to talk about it on a student led tour. Now I don’t think we are as excited about going to Leipzig.

After classes we meet up with Kelly and took a quiz and then walked to a really interesting school. I can't remember the exact name but I think it was the Martin Luther Gymnasium. It was designed very artistically design, so colorful and with funhouse/circus/ Russian shapes as part of the design. Also, there are trees growing in the building that appear out of windows that you can see from outside. Awesome.

The tour was led by a couple of the school’s students. One spoke English very well, I don’t think the other did at all and his German was very fast at first but the other asked him to slow down which I thought was interesting. I think that was the first time I have seen them notice themselves that they need to slow down, most of the time we have to ask.  I definitely notice an improvement in my ability to understand the tour guides. Our first tour in Berlin I understood virtually nothing except a word here and there. I think if I had to quantify it I would say I understood about 60% of what was said in German today on the tour, so I am very happy about that.

After that we had a barbecue out by the Elbe where most of the students played either Soccer or Ping-Pong, we had delicious food, and planned what are doing at the appreciation night event.

Words for Today

Das Kaninchen = rabbit

Muffeln = sulk, be grouchy

Das Zelt (n)  / -[e]s = tent

Bock (m)  / -[e]s = Buck, ram, he goat

Reich = rich/wealthy