Written by Sylvana Insua-Rieger
Participant New Europe Program 2011
The entire New Europe group took a brief and peaceful morning train ride for their excursion to the nearby city of Cologne. Once there, students were divided into small groups and given instructions for a fun and multi-faceted scavenger hunt throughout all of beautiful downtown Cologne. Each group bonded further as they worked together to follow their maps to the next location, and decipher each clue and photograph. Many students expressed feeling as if they were on a TV game show like "The Amazing Race," and they darted throughout market squares, courageously accepting the challenge. During the hunt, students learned about different churches, puppet theatres, statues, the Rhine river, fountains, breweries, and other culturally important sites. As a result of the hunt, AIB students learned about the cultural history of Cologne, often through friendly interaction with the locals, who are experts on the city's rich history and folklore. Many unsuspecting locals even became translators of the local German dialect, Koelsch, teaching the AIB students a handful of useful words.
Next, the entire group reunited at an old Cologne pub, where they enjoyed authentic German dishes while listening to German music of the early 20th century. While happily awaiting their meals, the students and coordinators went over the answer key to all the hunt's questions, and had the opportunity to share stories about their exciting scavenger hunt. The romantic dimness of the old-fashioned tavern was hardly noticeable, as each face was beaming with accomplishment and an indistinguishable curiosity about the development of the fascinating city. When the food arrived, the merriment continued, as did the learning (for many, this was their first time experiencing classic German foods such as sauerkraut and bratwurst!). Once all were satisfied, they moved next door to Marco Polo gelateria. Despite the chilly weather, almost every student opted for a scoop or two -- or three -- of the delicious, creamy, home-made gelato.
Then the students were led to the ornate Old City Hall, which they could then compared to the sleek new City Hall. Inside, they observed a 3-D city model to become oriented with the geography of a city much larger than Bonn. They then visited some ancient Roman ruins in the Archaeological Museum. The first structure they encountered was an ancient Roman sewer system, which they were able to walk through to comprehend first-hand the richness of Roman ingenuity and urban development. The students' giddiness did not wear off before their next encounter: genuine ruins of Roman buildings which were once built in Cologne. Students observed enlarged photographs of the disastrous effect of World War II on Cologne. About 90% of Cologne was obliterated. One photograph featured the Old City Hall which they had just admired, and they saw how much of the breathtaking structure was shattered by bomb raids. However, only one building was lucky to survive the war, which became the highlight of everyone's day: the Cologne Cathedral.
After a couple of hours of free time during which to shop, stop at a cafe, visit the Chocolate Museum or Musuem Ludwig, or just further explore the town, the students then had an exclusive guided roof top tour of the famous Cologne Cathedral. They ascended its immense height, and learned all about the construction and history of the building, as well as its contemporary uses and programs. As they climbed ever higher inside areas of the cathedral that are not accesible for public tours, students of the AIB were fortunate enough to tour within the skeleton of the magnificent building founded in 1248. They were overwhelmed with photo-ops as they walked along the outer balconies of the tower, an experience reserved only for birds, cathedral remodelers, and VIP groups. From the top of one of the spires of the cathedral, they could see the entire city of Cologne, as well as the spectacular Rhine river, as the sun set on the Rhineland.
