Beginning of Classes in Freiburg, Germany and Basel, Switzerland for the day!

Week of 31.01.2011

This week we began our area studies. I am enrolled in Transitions to Market Economies in Central and Eastern Europe, Elementary German, International Economic Relations of the EU, Finance and Banking in the EU, and an EU Integrative Seminar. I enjoy all of my classes so far and hope to soon settle into a routine.

The weather here has been in the high 50’s, so I’ve been taking advantage of the beautiful outdoors! Near my dorm is a peaceful lake with several view towers, swans, and a walking bridge. I have enjoyed running around the lake and am excited to see it in the springtime. I also found a trail that leads to the Dreisam River. It’s absolutely refreshing! If I were to bike for 16 km (10 mi) along the Dreisam River trail, I’d enter France. Just might have to pack a picnic and rent a bike…

Believe or not, Freiburg is an hour train ride to Basel, Switzerland (at no additional cost with my monthly tram pass). Basel is a small city located along the Rhine River where most residents speak German, French, and a little English. I took advantage of a free weekend day to visit Basel with a few friends. The Mulhouse- Basel- Freiburg Hauptbanhof (train station) is located in France, but has airstrips in both Switzerland and Germany. We took a 15-minute walk from the Hauptbanhof to the Rhine River. It was such a nice, warm day! The Swiss were enjoying the outdoor cafés, the river walk, and the welcoming benches. I found the town to be hospitable and energetic.

We walked around the city, exploring the inside of the Basel Munster (cathedral) and Elizabethan Kirche (church). My favorite time, other than the Rhine River walk, was the Kunstmuseum. The Kunstmuseum houses the largest public art collection in Switzerland. I was able to view my favorite impressionist artists: Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissaro, and a few more. Because of the Kunstmuseum, I added another artist, Ferdinand Hodler, to my “preferred” list. I really enjoyed his work!

To top off the afternoon in Basel, we enjoyed kaffee and kuchen (coffee and cake), my favorite German activity. I ate every bite of that wonderful chocolate-hazelnut cake!

Sunday is the super bowl! In honor of the big game, I made chili for our rotating dinner group. In The super bowl kickoff in Freiburg is around 12 am—it’s going to be a late night for a lot of us!

Next weekend includes a trip to the Alps. We’ll be hiking, tubing, sledding, skiing, and much more! I am ecstatic to be able to travel within my program and take advantage of my time here.