A Little Help From My Friends (A Ger-zerland Anecdote)

Perhaps you noticed in my overview of Germany and Switzerland that I had a lot of interaction with different people. I had certainly planned to meet a lot of first degree friends (i.e. my direct friends; think six degrees of separation), but what came as a delightful surprise was the number of second degree friends, family, and acquaintances (i.e. friends of my friends) whom I came into contact with. I don't know why it came as a surprise (Perhaps I was accustomed to Unnamed Person X who kept a visitor stowed secretly in his room, as if we Aclanders were savage beasts, not to be trusted.), but I had the opportunity to meet second degree acquaintances in every city. Here are some of the highlights.

IN REGENSBURG, I got to know Madeleine's family much better than I had upon their brief visit to Oxford several months before. Knowing Madeleine, I was unsurprised that her family's hospitality was extremely generous. In perfect English, Madeleine's mother welcomed me in and encouraged me to relax (I took a 2 hour nap, lol) while they prepared dinner. Later, we sat around the table on the patio under the cool, darkening sky, discussing Oxford, Bavaria, the merits of cakes and pies (Madeleine had baked, but apparently her sister Alina has a "structural problem" with such desserts), whether or not Madeleine and her sister look alike (a long-standing debate), and other assorted topics. Yes, it was perfect.

But in addition to family, I also had the opportunity to meet some of Madeleine's friends. First was a bit of cake with Lorenz at the cafe where she and her sister work. Sure, I ate the cake and eisschokolade (see future blog), but I had to focus so hard on the German language that was flying past me. I was able to catch words and phrases, but I sadly could not put it all together. Thankfully, with a bit of English recapitulation, I was sufficiently up to speed. On the last day of my Regensburg leg, Madeleine and I went to brunch with her friends Katharina and Anna, where - unlike the aforementioned dialogue over cake - I was entirely lost. Yes, they offered to speak in English... but how am I supposed to learn German if I am not exposed to it? Anyway, in spite of my disappointing language skills, I thoroughly enjoyed spending the time with all three of Madeleine's friends. Friendly and open, they seemed to welcome my presence and share a few good laughs (because laughter, don't you know, is an international language).

LEAVING BAVARIA behind, I was thrilled to meet up with my aunt and her close friend in Geneva. Similarly to Madeleine's family, my aunt's friend warmly welcomed us into her apartment along with giving us an insider's tour of the city. Each trying to be more generous and less of a burden than the other, the two friends frequently debated who was going to cover what. Naturally, my offered contributions were swiftly rejected by both of the warring factions, so I henceforth smiled, sat back, and enjoyed the city.

Needless to say, my aunt's friend went far out of her way for us. In addition to the walking tours, she pulled a few strings and arranged not only for a private entrance to CERN's Atlas Control Room (where the Higgs Boson Particle was discovered... or partly discovered... or sufficiently proved...) but also an opportunity to go sailing on Lake Geneva with some of her other friends. Apparently life is very good when you join the CERN Sailing Club! Her physicist friend (a third degree friend) was a bit burned out from the busy months leading up to the announcement of the Higgs Boson, but still happily showed us around the facility in a perfectly stereotypical Russian-physicist accent. He even asserted that CERN does need civil engineers.. perhaps I should work in Switzerland when I graduate?

Anyway, going out on the boat was very rewarding. The three of us joined up with four other third-degree friends, who were taking out the gorgeous Phoebus II, a 41-foot wooden sailboat (see video at bottom of: http://www.alpesmarine.com/gb-sailing-geneva.html). The skipper for the afternoon was Daniel, naturally spoken in your best French accent. The gentleman was a pro. Literally. Apparently he grew up sailing on Lake Geneva, established a sailing school on Lake Geneva, and now in retirement is still sailing in Lake Geneva. Don't get me wrong, he travels (he discussed with me the merits of spending four months sailing from the US to Brazil), but he sure loves his home lake. Of course as a teacher, he also gave me my first sailing lesson. In decent English (and quite pleased that I am an engineer), he explained how a sailboat is like an airplane wing. The front sails control the high pressure region on the downwind side of the mainsail, and the wind itself provides the low pressure region on the upwind side. Consequently, by keeping the boat at 30 degrees angle to the wind, you provide enough high-pressure to propel the boat forward (into the wind) without knocking the boat over. Oh, and yes, I did get to try my hand at the rudder. Supposedly I have a knack for it, but to me it felt like driving a manual transmission... which my friend Tyler from NC will tell you I don't have much of a knack for. At least I knew how to tie ropes. Regardless, the point is that our crew was extremely happy to have us aboard. It was an incredible afternoon under perfect sunshine. With the wind at our backs, we peacefully and joyously toasted our way back to shore (with tea, of course!)

AFTER GENEVA, Aunt Carolyn and I headed towards the lofty Alps. While we had interactions of all varieties in Wengen, our post-hike lunch break at the Restaurant Allmend outside of town was a really unique experience. The restaurant, like everything else in the area, is nestled into the mountain with an amazing view of Wengen below in the distance. Across the gravel road, an idle ski-lift patiently awaits the first snow fall. On this day, the restaurant's patio serves only five tables; inside is deserted except for the kitchen staff - waiters - owners, a husband and wife tandem. After a Berner Oberland cheese plate for me and a soup and sandwich tandem for my aunt, we sat and rested our feet, talking about the incredible views. After not too long, the lady came over to clear our plates and instead struck up a conversation. The other tables had cleared; it was just us and them. 90 minutes of bubbly discussion later, we had heard many of the benefits and drawbacks of living in Switzerland, and more specifically, the Alps. Apparently Wengen (Summer pop 3000) turns into Wengen (Winter pop 30,000) when the snow arrives. The restaurant thrives on skiers to the point where it is almost impractical to stay open over the summer. This sixth degree of separation (assumed) was fantastic. Perfect for weary feet, I would highly recommend the restaurant to any travelers. Not only did I enjoy the food and the time to sit, but the company was even better than the stunning vistas.

WHEN I ARRIVED in Zurich, I was excited to meet my NC State friend, Justin. With a student house just on the outskirts of town, I had nice views of the city and plenty of student-style hospitality (i.e. "yeah, yeah... do whatever! I have to get some work done but you're welcome to come and go as you'd like"). It's good to also see that student lifestyle is fairly replicable. I watched as Justin repeated my near-daily thought process. "Hmm. Nothing in the fridge. I guess we will have pasta tonight. Perhaps with some tomatoes thrown in, and some sliced cheese on the side." Ok, I exaggerate a lot, but it's the survival instinct that makes one exercise creativity. Creativity is delicious.

Perhaps the best part of my time in Zurich was an evening trip we took to the Oerlikon district on the north side of town. We checked out a Swiss playground, which we both assessed was significantly more rugged and adventurous than its American counterpart. I recalled my trip to Ecuador, where I flew around in circles on a rope jungle gym with Davy and Elizabeth, the start of a week of service work. It was fitting then, that upon climbing a tower to look over the glimmering city and the blood orange sunset, my conversation with with Justin took a turn towards home. We had met as team leaders for different spring break trips last year. It was fascinating how many similarities we found between Oxford and ETH Zurich, collective differences from NC State. Indeed, our alma mater in the States made it so easy to get involved. Easy to find interests, to pursue opportunities, to explore nonacademic pursuits. Not only that, but NC State encourages it: part of one's education is interacting with others, giving back to the community, and being an active citizen of the world. But alas, such is not the same view shared in Europe. College (and especially the postgraduate life) is generally a job. Put in your hours. Go home. Eat (maybe). Sleep (maybe). Repeat. Admittedly, it seems like the most common forum for networking is parties. Yes, this description is an oversimplification, but not by far. It is a different mindset in Europe, where you are more likely keep your head down and mind your own business than you are in the US. And service? Here in the UK, they call it charity work, but it's far from common. Similarly, in Zurich (where, by the way, there is no university housing, and therefore no common interaction), Justin says service is unheard of. Where's the big picture? Whatever happened to "Think Globally, Act Locally?"

Well even in Zurich, we went out to  meet some second and third degree friends. Naturally, it was in a bar where I paid for one drastically overpriced drink. The second degree friend was a guy from the UK who had met Justin a month before while buying a bicycle. That very day, he had met three ladies who had been born in Kosovo but raised in Switzerland. Collectively (with another third degree friend of Spanish descent) we sat there, alternating languages for clarity's sake (English, Spanish, English, German, English..). It was quite a unique assembly, really. Nonetheless, as travelers united, we enjoyed the short, casual evening.

MOVING OUT of Zurich, I headed farther east to Konstanz. Pippa, like Justin, welcomed me into her brand new student residence. Combined, I think Pippa and Justin had spent a total of two or three weeks in their current accommodation. Poor Pippa had clearly just moved in, and I felt a bit bad about intruding before she had even had a chance to get settled. Her stark concrete housing block may have been designed to be modern, but it was certainly minimalist and it's artistic warmth lacking. A strange way to design some apartments, but at least the student accommodation seemed robust.

The weather was the best it had been all trip (you'll probably hear me say that again), and I quite enjoyed Pippa's company walking around the quaint town. As is typical of the first week in a new school, she was busy trying to make new friendships; one night we joined in with a pretty high-octane group, and the next day with a slightly more relaxed group. Both groups were fun, and it was fun to connect in English over the German language. Somehow as the only guy with a group of five girls going swimming in Lake Konstanz, I wasn't surprised that the post-swim conversation swiftly turned to a Dutch copy of Cosmopolitan. Oh well, I suppose I should consider myself lucky. Not every guy gets to relax in the sunshine with five captivated females for an afternoon.... Too bad I had spent the previous two weeks eating cheese and chocolate instead of working out :-P

Anyway, I truly enjoyed my time in Konstanz, the people I met, and the opportunity to catch up with my friend from the dance team. The only downside is that Jenna wasn't along; she would have loved the opportunity to catch up with Pippa (and, probably, see the rest of Switzerland/Germany too). Who knows... perhaps a return trip is in the offing.

ALAS, my last stop on the continent was to Munich, where I had the unexpected surprise of running into another Kebleite, Sebastian. Like Madeleine, Sebastian is on the Erasmus law exchange program, and was thus in the midst of an internship in Munich. I met him for my final dinner on the continent: quintessential Bavarian food at Munich's famed Hofbrauhaus. Following the theme of the fortnight, Sebastian was exceedingly generous, paying for the meal, which included the supposedly quintessential "Mass." Mass is German for big. As I'm sure you have already guessed, that applies to beer. Consequently, after a Liter of (admittedly tasty) Weizerbier (Wheat beer), we happily talked the evening away, reminiscing Oxford and discussing Bavaria in the same manner I began my trip.



SO what's the point? The point is that I have some amazing friends and family who in turn have some more amazing friends and family. It's remarkable how traveling can cause an instant bond between people and cultures, provide opportunities to share experiences, and be an amazing chance to learn. The friendliness and hospitality of those around me is humbling; my gratitude immense. To those who have hosted me and shared in my travels, thank you for these two incredible weeks! I look forward to returning the favor somehow, in some way, sometime in the near future.