A WEEKEND FULL OF SPORTS

This Saturday almost 80 students headed out to cologne to watch their first FC Köln game. After a crowded train and tram ride, everyone finally made it into the stadium filled with yelling fans and of course the team mascot the Billy Goat Hennes VIII. Because of Cologne's dawning relegation the fans spirits were high, constantly chanting and singing and pushing them to win. Once FC Köln scored the first goal students got to see true excitement.

The stadium roared with applause singing and yelling in German. We attempted to keep up with the many German chants and were able to follow along with the few Carnival songs they learned back in February. After the score of the first goal fans went crazy for the rest of the game, high with the hope of winning. Stuttgart managed to score a goal in the second half, ending the game in a tie. Even though Cologne didn’t win, the students still got to experience the excitement of a real Bundesliga game.

After recovering from an thrilling day of watching football, students were ready to run in the Bonn Marathon. All schools studying at the AIB had participants in the Relay, Half-Marathon, and Marathon. The day began with the half marathon with runners competing the 13 mile run, in just about two hours. After these runners were finished they jumped to the sidelines to cheer on the relay runners and marathon runners. The AIB had 8 relay teams consisting of students from LMU, Texas A&M, Penn State, as well as student workers and staff of the AIB. Every one pushed themselves and had a great time crossing the finish line together. After the marathon students headed back to the AIB for food and celebration. The AIB raised about 1700$ euros for their charities, the Marol Academy, Brazos Valley Food Bank, The Red Cross, and THON. The training that all the students put into these races was well worth razing that much money for a good cause! Thanks everyone who contributed to this great day and especially thanks to family and friends who helped raising so much money!

Written by Callie Child (Participant New Europe Program Spring 2012)

Click here to see more marathon pics in our photo gallery

VIZZERS GO EAST

The Texas A&M Viz students had their second overnight excursion to Germany’s capital city of Berlin last week. Our first activity was a bicycle tour through the city. We got a nice overview of the many historical events that have shaped Berlin and a look at some of the most prominent buildings and sites. We saw sections of the Berlin Wall, the site of Adolf Hitler’s Führerbunker, and the beautiful architecture on Museumsinsel. After our ride, we enjoyed a not-so-German dinner of delicious handmade pizza at ‘I Due Forni’. Somehow it felt appropriate though, as Berlin is such a cosmopolitan city of many different cultures.

The following day, we had a tour of the German Chancellery, which is the office of Chancellor Angela Merkel and the German equivalent of the White House. It’s also known as the ‘Washing Machine’ by the residents of Berlin, due to the distinct shape of the building. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a great explanation of the German system of politics. We also got to take a look at some of the many strange and beautiful gifts that Chancellors have been given by foreign dignitaries.

Next, we broke for lunch and several of us enjoyed a Berlin-original currywurst sausage. Afterwards, students toured the Daniel Liebskind-designed Jewish Museum Berlin. The striking modern building is rich with symbolism, and functions more as a habitable sculpture than a traditional museum building. After the tour, we had some free time and many of us chose to explore the ‘Character Walk’ of the international Pictoplasma Art Conference. Artists were spread out in galleries all over the Mitte district, displaying their unique work.

The next day we traveled to Oranienburg to visit the memorial site at the former concentration camp of Sachsenhausen. It’s hard to put such a moving experience into words- most people have probably read a few accounts of the Holocaust, but walking through the gates of a camp and seeing the barbed wire fences makes one begin to understand how real it was. It was a place that will be hard for any of us to ever forget.

Upon our return to the city, we had the afternoon free to explore some of Berlin’s myriad museums or do a little shopping in one of the many diverse neighborhoods. We all reconvened later and closed out the evening with a Pictoplasma festival animation screening at the Theater Babylon. Some of the featured artists were present to give an introduction and background information about their work.

We began our last day in Berlin with a stroll through the East Side Gallery- a preserved section of the Berlin Wall that has been turned over to artists and painted with reflective images and messages of peace. Then, we visited Pixomondo, an international visual effects company that has worked on many popular movies including Iron Man 2, Fast Five, and Super 8. The company most recently won the 2012 Academy Award in Best Visual Effects for their work on Hugo. We got a behind-the-scenes look at the work on several of their recent films and learned about international collaboration from an industry perspective. We then toured the small studio and watched artists at work on their latest projects, including effects work for Season 2 of Game of Thrones and Snow White and the Huntsman.

After our engrossing visit, we were turned loose for lunch in the city. Soon enough, it was time to pack our bags and head back to the Hauptbahnhof to catch our train back to Bonn. Thanks for a great time, Berlin!

Written by Stephanie Keske

AIB SOCCER CUP 2012

Just as baseball is America's national pastime, there's no question that soccer is Germany's game. In celebration of this beloved sport, students gathered Wednesday in front of the iconic Bonn University building for the much-anticipated Spring 2012 AIB Soccer Cup. Players hailed from each of AIB's spring programs, representing Loyola Marymount, Penn State, and Texas A&M University. Six teams were formed, and round-robin group play began on the two pitches marked out on the lawn.

Anticipation was high as the first whistle blew. The atmosphere was spirited, with dozens of onlookers-- fellow students and Bonn locals alike --cheering on the players as they fought for glory on the field. After some exciting contests, team Checkitout and the Blumkins were eliminated and the remaining four teams moved into tournament play. The semifinals saw the exit of the Fine Southern Gentlemen and the Monstars after a tied game and nail-biting round of penalty kicks. That left the Steamrollers and the Pirates to face off in the tournament final. The two teams proved an even match with the score at 1-1 after regulation play. It all came down to a three minute overtime period, and the Steamrollers finally clinched the title with a beautiful ground ball to the corner of the net.

All the players gathered for the awards ceremony, where they were honored with medals on ribbons of black, red, and gold. However, the day belonged to the Steamrollers as they lofted the shiny golden victor's cup above their heads and enjoyed the accompanying giant tub of Haribo gummy bears. Victory was sweet in many ways. When the excitement had died down and the goals were carried away, everyone met at the AIB on Adenauerallee to enjoy drinks, hot dogs, and post-tournament camaraderie. The 2012 AIB Soccer Cup was a success by all measures!

      

Written by Stephanie Keske

Nuestra Aventura en España

As part of this year’s study abroad experience, the NEP students had the opportunity to spend a week in three beautiful Spanish cities. The excursion began in the capital and largest city of Spain, beautiful Madrid. The students started off the week with a guided city tour that led to the Reina Sofia Museum and El Prado Museum. After walking through the unique streets of Madrid, enjoying the works of Picasso, Dali, Velázquez and many others, the students ended the day with a delicious tapas dinner and a breathtaking flamenco show at Casa Patas. The next morning, the students hopped on a bus and headed to the historic city of Toledo, also the birthplace of the famous Spanish painter, El Greco. Upon their arrival, they walked through the old town viewing many amazing sites such as the Cathedral of Toledo and the medieval synagogue Santa Maria la Blanca. Quickly the adventure in Toledo came to an end, and the students headed back to Madrid to visit the largest royal palace in Western Europe. During this visit to the Palacio Real de Madrid, the students were guided by the amazing tour guide Deanna, who shared many facts about the current government system in Spain.

Before the students knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Madrid and head off to the city of Barcelona. After a short train ride through snow- who would have thought in Spain?!- the students headed to the magical Park Guell designed by the talented architect Antoni Gaudi. Despite the rainy weather, the students enjoyed the view of Barcelona from the terraced area with multi-colored tiled mosaic seats. Later, the students enjoyed more of Gaudi’s distinguished work, the Sagrada Familia, to which he devoted his last 15 years of life.

The following day the students traveled about an hour northwest of Barcelona to visit the Montserrat Monastery. The monastery is a beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat that is home to the Black Madonna. The students were taken away by the beautiful view from the cable car on their way up to the monastery. Guided by Diana, the students learned about the holy visions and the fascinating history about the monastery. After the tour, they entered the Basilica to listen to the heavenly voices from the boys’ choir; following the performance they had the privilege to visit the Black Madonna. Shortly after, the students took the train back to Barcelona, where they enjoyed a short stroll through the old town. To conclude the day, the students headed to one of the best restaurants in town to enjoy a nice dinner of tapas and paella.

Before heading back to the sweet home of Bonn, the students made one last visit to the highly acclaimed Picasso museum. Among the many works of art, the students enjoyed seeing Picasso’s version of the well-known painting Las Meninas. Soon after, it was time to say goodbye and head home, but to add to the adventure the students encountered a lovely surprise at the airport. While waiting for their flight, the FC Barcelona team made a quick walk through the airport exciting many crowds. Now it was time to say, “Adios y gracias por todo Espańa”.

  

  

Written by Tatiana Dominguez Participant New Europe Program Spring 2012

THE ALT VERSUS KÖLSCH EXPERIENCE

The Loyola Marymount University students studying with the AIB began their journey to Düsseldorf with excitement and anticipation, for ‘Cologonians’ told them they were visiting the forbidden city. This is why upon arrival; everyone was shocked to find the city very similar to Cologne. The group prepared themselves for an exciting day of learning about the German government, traditional German food, a scavenger hunt, ending with an ascension of the Rheinturm.

The group headed strait to the Landtag where there were greeted for a breakfast reception with the chairman of the Bündis 90/Die Grünen Reiner Priggen. Priggen introduced him self and explained to the American students what the green party was and what they stood for. The students listened with fascination as Priggen explained the Green Parties stance on education, green energy, and cooperating with other parties on important issues. After the lecture, Priggen opened himself up to questions. Many students were eager to learn about Germany’s nuclear energy policy and what was being done to improve education in Germany. Priggen explained his recent visit to Finland, where he learned more about their education policy, and how members of his party are striving to have a system similar to theirs. He also pointed out that there are aspects of American Universities, such as sports and extra curricular activities, which he would like to incorporate into German Universities. The talk proved to be most influential on the students, and they greatly appreciated the chairman’s opinions and impute on their questions.

After the reception students receive a tour of the Landtag, starting with gorgeous views of the Rhine River and tours of the workers offices. The students were able to see the parliament room, were they learned about the old fashioned system of voting, where members walk through different doors to cast their vote. Students were fascinated by the modern architecture combined with centuries old traditions.

Next, students headed to lunch at Zum Schlüssel, where they had traditional German dishes of schnitzl, goulash, spatzle, and Alt. Students were tempted to order Kölsch and see the waiters reactions, but decided it was best to try a new beer and thus ordered a round of Alt. There were mixed reactions to the taste, but having more connections to Cologne than Düsseldorf, it was decided Kölsch was the better option. The scavenger hunt was a perfect way to learn about the most exciting part of the city. Lastly the students headed up the Rheinturm.

On top of the Rheinturm students saw a panoramic view of the city. The most fun though was leaning against the glass windows and looking down 234 meters :)

After spending a day in Düsseldorf, the students had a new appreciation for the humorous rivalry that exists between Cologne and Dusseldorf.

Written by Callie Child.

OUR FILM STUDENTS PRESENT THEMSELVES IN 1 MIN CLIP

Check out this neat trailor made for the cinematography class by our Film&TV students. You will be able to spot each of our film students from the LMU's School of Film&Television Bonn semester program 2011. What a great group it was! The students shot on 16 mm film and used double exposure effects to create this beautiful short film!

Penn State Landscape Architecture: WEEKLY PHOTO REPORT #4

This spring, the AIB is hosting 18 Landscape Architecture students from Penn State University in a semester-long study abroad program. As part of their studies, each student is portraying one week of the program and the group activities taking place in it in a "Weekly Photo Report".

Gina Montecallo has documented Week 4 of the Penn State Landscape Architecture Program.
Check it out!

Download PDF - WEEK 4

AFTERMATH OF A STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE

As part of their study abroad Experience in Bonn coursework, the 2011 Texas A&M Landscape Architecture/Urban Planing students are now displaying their works on the third floor of Atrium of Langford Building A at Texas A&M university.

   

If you are remaniscing about Bonn and wanted to know what the Landscape Architecture Students do during their time abroad; come and check out their fantastic exhibition!!
Download the Exhibition Poster

THE EIFEL TRIP - SPRING 2012

This past Sunday we were able to take a trip out to the Eifel region in Germany. In spite of the cold weather, we had a wonderful time. The trip began with mass at a Benedictine monestary at Maria Laach. As if the size and attention to detail in every decoration of the church were not enough, the monks living there sang in true Gregorian chant. You wouldn't have to know too much about music to appreciate how beautiful it was to hear the genuine love and praise in each song. After mass and a cup of hot chocolate we set off to see the Castle Bürresheim. The majesty of the Castle and its grounds was overwhelming. Each room was filled with original furniture and decor to really give you a feel for what it was like when the Castle was still in use. The construction began in the 12th century, but add ons were continually being built by subsequent generations. We were able to see the progression of the family through the legacy they left behind in each piece of the Castle. It was very fortunate for us that we were given the tour by someone not only knowledgable but fluent in English. It seemed as though there was no question we could ask that was unanswerable. Upon leaving the grounds of the Castle, we made our way to a traditional German restaurant. I had my first schnitzel experience and I am pleased to say it was a good one. We each had our choice of chicken, pork schnitzel or pasta. If everyone else in the group enjoyed their food half as much as I did, then everyone left satisfied. We ended the trip by taking a walk through the quaint town of Monreal. At this point the group split up to walk around and get a good look at the town. The large stream flowing through the middle of the town was one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever seen. We could not have visited a more romantic and picturesque town anywhere, I'm sure. The whole day was filled with beauty, knowledge, and a slightly altered perception of the world around us. I can't wait to see what else this wonderful country has to offer!

Written by: Katie Rochelle, Texas A&M Biosciences Spring 2012

Texas A&M Vizzers Go Dutch!

The Visualization students from Texas A&M University recently returned from our first trip abroad to the Netherlands. The group spent a day and a half in Amsterdam, where we soaked in as much of the city as possible in such a short time. Our explorations started off with a boat cruise through the historic canals, followed by an unforgettable visit to the Anne Frank House. The group then enjoyed a traditional homestyle Dutch ricedish dinner at the delightfully cozy Moeder’s restaurant.

The next morning, students visited Lemonade Animation, a Dutch animation studio. Avinash and Daniel, both 3D artists, gave us a tour of the studio’s fun facilities (complete with toy collection and pool table). They showed some of their impressive work and spent time answering questions about working in the industry. Thanks for yourvaluable advice, guys! Next, students got up close and personal with the rich history of the Dutch art masters at both the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.

Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the bus to depart for Noordwijk. This small Dutch seaside town was the site of our first studio workshop with professor Markus Pasing. The students’ assignment was to construct a “Beachrunner” machine that would move across the beach with the power of the wind. We arrived to our hostel in the evening and trekked out to the beach after dinner. To some dismay there was very little breeze, but the stars were quite beautiful! We walked back to the hostel and the students spent the evening finishing up construction on their projects.

      

The next morning, after enjoying our Dutch breakfast complete with chocolate sprinkles for our toast, students made final tweaks to their machines and we hiked out to the beach once more. The sun shone brightly, and to everyone’s relief the wind had picked up considerably. The group lined up and released their Beachrunner machines one-by-one. Students chose a variety of propulsion designs for their machines, from pinwheels to large wings to balloons. Most of the Beachrunners were quite effective; more than one student was sent sprinting down the beach to catch their machine as it sped off! The workshop was deemed a huge success, and Markus awarded prizes to the best of the machines. We ended our day at the beach with dinner at a restaurant specializing in pfannkuchen, enormous Dutch pancakes. It was a delicious end to a great trip abroad!