In the last two months our page grew up from just about 50 fans to over 800 fans... that's really amazing! Thank you all for making our page grow so big in such a short time!
So, what's up next? No question, we are heading straight to #1000!
You can help us reach the magic number by telling all your facebook friends about us and get them connected to the AIB!
Gingerbread, burnt almonds and Glühwein (mulled wine) - Bonn's Christmas fair will soon conjure up a festive atmosphere in the City. From 19 November until 23 December it will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Every year, Bonns Christmas fair conjures up a festive atmosphere on Münsterplatz and Bottlerplatz, on Windeckstrasse, Vivatsgasse and Friedensplatz. Especially the atmospherically illuminated facades around the Münsterplatz form a festive scenery for the market booths. Up until the end of Christmas fair just a day before christmas, a daily changing programme will be performed on the christmas stage: puppet shows, music of all kinds and the visit of Santa Claus on December 6.
Bonn’s Christmas Markets attune everybody to the coming festive days. An unmistakable smell enchants Bonn’s centre, a mixture of gingerbread, potato pancake, fried sausage, burnt almonds, Koelsch beer and Glühwein - mulled wine. After several years only, the popular ice-skating rink on Friedensplatz has become one of its outstanding features. Every year Bonn’s central Christmas market attracts visitors from all over Germany and from neighbouring countries.
The stage at Sterntor will present a new programme every day. Performances by Bonn choirs and music groups will take place in the evenings. On Saturdays and Sundays, popular artists will make their appearance, beginning in the afternoon.
November 19 - December 23, 2010
open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
After a few weeks of pushing pixels and pulling teeth we have launched the all-new, bright-and-shiny online home for the FITS Europe. We've added lots of new designs for better usability, created some exciting new features and are posting fresh content on a regular basis.
Thanks again to AIB’s communication designer Fabian Zöller who first redesigned our logo and then completely designed and coded the sophisticated and minimalistic black & white style of our new website.
So, take a look around on www.fits-europe.de and tell us what you think!
Written by Lyndon LeUnes
Karneval, or Germany's fifth season starts on November 11th at 11:11am. On this day, in mainly roman catholic regions of Germany, the festival and party season begins. Many festivals around Germany are held that day, but the most popular areas for Karneval celebrations are in the states on the West side of Germany, North Rhine Westphalia and Rhine Palatinate. Cologne has the biggest celebration for Karneval where thousands of people come together to celebrate the opening of the great season.
The season comes to an end on Ash Wednesday in February. Germans love their Karneval time of year and wouldn't want to let it end without a bang. The last week of the season starts on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, and during this time celebrating is the only thing on many Germans minds. That week on Thursday, Friday, and Monday, many businesses and schools close down in the Rhineland and other places in Germany. There are a few parades that occur over the week, and many old traditions are also continued during the last 7 days of Karneval. For example, a very famous custom happens on the Thursday of that week called Womens Day. On this day, women run the show. They are allowed to cut the ties of men and also kiss any man that they would like to. This is celebrated because of the 1824 washer women revolt. Many other customs and traditions are celebrated that week which creates a great environment for everyone involved.
It was a great experience for me and the students that I traveled to Cologne with on November 11th. We didn't know exactly what to expect before we arrived. We pulled up on our train from Bonn all wearing costumes ranging from a banana to a polar bear. After getting off the train we realized a banana and polar bear weren't even close to the strangest costumes. To be in the middle of a huge town square with thousands of people in costumes watching live Karneval music being played on stage was a wild adventure. I can only imagine how fun the main celebration is in February and recommend to anyone who can experience this celebration, to do so.
Yes! Although it is still not very common to celebrate Halloween in Germany, more and more people learn to appreciate this holiday and the customs linked with it. A few years ago Halloween was almost unknown in Germany, but now you see kids trick-or-treating on the street and Jack-0'-Lanterns in many dooryards.
Of course the New Europe students did not have to go without carving pumpkins for this special occasion while staying abroad. Once the pumpkins were delivered by the marketer the students began to shape their works of art and taught the German student workers who also took their chances a lesson. Many different shapes and styles came out in the end, and the most important thing: It was lots of fun, as seen above!