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