(September 2, 2011) I don’t know how completely it’s set in that I live in such an awesome place. I’m glad I was able to sleep as much and as well as I did last night, because my jet lag seems to be wearing off quite quickly. The only interruption was when the Irish pub next door closed (around 2 a.m.) and its patrons left raucously.
Our orientation process began with a walking scavenger hunt of Lüneburg. In groups of 7 or 8, we visited some of the city’s historical landmarks, as well as places pertinent to our daily lives. For example, on our route were Johanniskirche and St. Nikolaikirche, two cathedrals, and a crane that remains from Lüneburg’s shipping days. We also visited local shops, grocery stores, and banks to get acquainted with them. All the streets are paved with brick, and many are free from car traffic. Bicycles clearly have the right of way around both pedestrians and cars (and exercise it).
We then took the bus (a very easy process, especially because a Leuphana Universität student I.D. is also a city bus pass) to main campus. We ate lunch in the cafeteria/dining hall, called the Mensa. I had schnitzel and potatoes, with a sauce filled with peppers and spices. Very delicious. Our tour of campus followed the meal. The campus is really not very large, and almost all the buildings look nearly identical (the university grounds used to be a military base. Fortunately, each building is clearly numbered.
The structured portion of our day concluded with nearly four hours of orientation information. Today we covered housing, health and safety, and we touched briefly on academic policies and individual classes, as well as our semester schedules. Classes are only held Monday through Thursday, and all exams are held on Fridays. The German semester doesn’t start until mid-October, so we are just about the only students on campus for a while yet.
After our meeting, I did some shopping and organizing of my flat, before meeting a group of students to explore dinner options. We got bratwurst from a stand at the street festival (Stintfest) going on right in front of my building. Along with sausage, the fest offered plenty of alcohol (which I did not sample) and live music (which I couldn’t really avoid). Falling asleep tonight will be an interesting challenge. We walked and talked for a while after eating, and then I headed up to my room to unwind a little bit.
Between the scavenger hunt and our walk this evening, I’m starting to get my bearings in the northern Lüneburg. The three cathedrals in town provide easy-to-spot landmarks. Campus, just a little farther south, almost feels like a different city. I don’t have a great feel yet for what shops and restaurants are in the area, but that will come with time. Today was only day one. I have a semester to explore!
Johanniskirche, as seen from Am Sande.
Am Sande
Stintfest along the river, down the street from my apartment.
No comments:
Post a Comment