-History: The Rise and Fall of Hitler- I have only had one day of this so far, but it seems really interesting. From what I have heard, the professor is a very well known historian in Luxembourg. In March, we will be visiting Prague, Crackow, and Aushwitz concentration camp for a five day field study trip. I am really looking forward to this, I am not sure if I would ever visit Poland on my own, and I think it will be a really emotional, but moving experience.
-History: Medieval Witch Hunts- This class is taught by a professor from Miami University, he just moved to Luxembourg and lives upstairs in the Chateau. We are going on a field trip to some small towns in Germany and France where the hunts were particularly bad in a few weeks, and a trio of expert historians in the field called the "Three Witches" are meeting us there.
-Politics- Formation of the European Union. This one is taught by an older Belgian man, who has a lot of first hand experience with the topic. I think it will be really cool to learn about the EU while living in one of the founding countries!
-French- My French course is taught by an older French lady, who is so French it is great. We spend most of the time talking about our travels and current events in France. I have been communicating with salespeople and waitresses and my host family ok so far, but I really want to get better and I think this class will help.
-Museum Culture- This is an American studies class taught also by a professor from Miami (She and her husband and their two young kids have been living in Lux since Septmember). We are going to visit several museums as part of the course, and talk about their role and purpose in modern society. The teacher seems really nice and helpful and one girl who I have become friends with is in the class with me.
In terms of the workload, it doesn't seem like I will be completely overwhelmed with homework like last semester, but things won't be a total joke either. Since everything is so interesting, and includes a lot of experiences and travel, I don't think I will mind doing the work during the week. I will keep you updated on how classes go!
Besides going to school, I have been getting acclimated to life in Lux! I am learning to ride the trains and buses, and hopefully am improving my awful sense of direction. On Sunday, my family invited me and my two roommates up for lunch. The parents speak only French and Portuguese, and their 15 year old son Anthony, speaks some English. One of my roommates speaks French at about the same level as me, and we can mostly communicate with the parents but sometimes need Anthony's help to translate. The meal was really nice, and in European fashion, very long- we stayed for 3 hours- and with lots of red wine and bread. The family was more friendly than initially and I think they opened up to us more. I am still not sure how often we will see them since we and they are both very busy, but I feel a lot more comfortable with them after lunch. (A funny story about my family, the first night they had us up for dinner right after we met, and it was slightly awkward. Most people reading probably know that when I get nervous, drink alcohol, or even just touch my necklace, i get red sloshes on my neck/chest. Well during dinner I guess I was nervous and also drinking wine, and I got a bunch of red on my neck. My host mom freaked out and thought I was allergic to her food and started asking me all these questions in french about allergies, i had to do my best to explain in french that really I am just awkward hahaha).
I have also been running a lot of errands to get myself organized and settled in. I went to the grocery store, where I learned that Nutella and wine are very cheap here, and apparently in Europe you don't have to refrigerate your milk and eggs. I also bought a pay as you go cell phone, mostly to talk to friends in Lux about plans, from a very nice man who didn't speak much English. Today, I went shopping in Lux City, and (shout out to Dana, Lisa, and my Mom) a little store that was like a mini china town place!! My friend and I were told to go downstairs, to a strange little room, to look at the shoes. They had tons of boots for very cheap, and I got a pair of very Euro, shortish black ones for a deal.
At night, there is a bar in Differdange right across from the chateau called Das Boot, where you can drink Luxembourgish beer out of, you guessed it, boot shaped glasses. It is almost always packed with American students from the chateau and is a lot of fun! I have gone there the past few nights, I am trying to meet as many people as possible. My roommates and I also frequent an internet cafe (which is actually a bar) about a block from our house since we don't have internet access at home. I am currently writing this post from there. I think it is a hang out for the many Portuguese immigrants who live nearby, all the tables are filled with Portuguese men right now watching a football game, plus me and my roommate, the strange Americans, on our laptops.
One interesting thing I have been noticed is that although we were warned Europeans just aren't as friendly as Americans (our very french dean told us that if you smile at a European you pass by on the street they think you are coming onto them or just stupid), some people in Lux are super nice! Last night, I got dinner at an Italian place with two friends. When we were leaving, we were the only ones left, and the owner gave us each 2 huge slices of pizza for free since he was about to close. We started chatting and he told us he had recently moved from Italy to Lux and opened his restaurant. He suggested a little city for us to visit if we go to Italy during Carnivale break (this is our current plan) and was just so nice.
Sorry this is so long!! I have to go write my first short paper now. But I am going to Bruges and Brussels this weekend so hooray! Long post to come on Sunday or Monday with a full recap. Have a good weekend and happy back to cville for my uva friends and go ravens for the Baltimore gang!
Care
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