Language House @ UMD

The Unique Nature of a Nonprofit Organization with a Product

2009-12-04T12:55:00.000-08:00

My externship with Judy Phair, the Vice President of Communications, at the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), began on Thursday, October 15th. Upon my arrival, I was given an itinerary of the meetings and events Judy had scheduled for me that day. Judy explained her intention of demonstrating to me how the communications department at a very corporate-style, yet nonprofit organization, operates, through introducing me to and arranging meetings with key members.

The first meeting on my schedule was a general orientation to the communications department at GMAC. Members of the communications department, Sonya Moore, Bob Ludwig, Ethan Cebulash, and Tracy Briggs all sat down with me to explain their responsibilities and contributions to the department based on their unique talents and experience. Prior to their individual explanations, Judy provided me with a general overview of the unique nature of GMAC as a non-profit organization albeit with a product, the GMAT exam, and more generally, the challenges of working in the testing industry. With that in context, she then explained the role the communications department has played in GMAC and how that role has evolved over time.

Ethan is the web and graphic design specialist who joined the council in 2007. He spoke at length about the web’s contribution to marketing. A couple of years ago they made the website more of a priority. Their goal was to improve the design. Judy explained that the previous website, gmac.com, was really outdated and that the new web site, mba.com is specifically aimed at students.

Bob is the head of media relations and has work for GMAC for five and a half years. One key point that he made was that the organization is much more internationally focused now than ever before, as the push to increase visibility outside of the United States becomes more urgent. The media of course, is a perfect way to do this as it is a source for news organizations to put MBA students in context. In terms of current global trends in students going back to business school, recruiters are gauging how likely this is to happen, and are analyzing general trends in business education while being proactive in pitching media. He informed me that since Judy joined the department a few years ago, she has really spearheaded relations with the media overseas, especially with Asia and India.

Cultural differences need to be considered as the organization expands globally and I learned some interesting and pertinent data collected about trends in India and China. Whereas before, Indians would seeker a higher level education overseas they are increasingly returning to India to receive this education. Additionally, after completing their studies there are jobs awaiting them in their home country. One poignant example of cultural differences affecting the way the GMAT needs to be marketed, concerned Chinese students. When marketing the exam to Chinese students, members of the communications department needed to be cautious of clarifying rules regarding cheating. In China, it is more common for students to pass on answers to their friends, and occurrences in which test-takers will take the exam solely for the purpose of recording questions and sometimes even posting them online, is all too prevalent.

I then attended a Research Exchange event with Judy in which members of other departments were present. The research presented was about the 2009 application trends survey results. The information was a bit over my head as it was a very specific topic and many business terms were used. Much to my relief, Judy explained to me after the presentation, that even she had trouble following all the technicalities. Following that, I sat down with three more members of the communications department, Sam Silverstein, Carole Mahoney, and again, Tracy Briggs.

Tracy Briggs provides a valuable service to the communications department. Three times a week, she puts together an e-mail containing news articles relevant to GMAC and intended to give employees a sense of the current events in the industry. This service is critical to keeping them informed without their having to spend too much time researching themselves. Judy added that the president especially values these news clippings.

I am looking forward to meeting with Judy twice more and will update the blog as those meetings materialize.

~Ilana Shrier

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database: That's No Childish Database

2009-12-04T08:40:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered how those databases at our UMD library’s Research Port work? Among databases, Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD) is a role model.

CLCD is a rapidly-growing, indispensable resource for many librarians, editors, publishers, media specialists, professors, and students. Its database includes over two million MARC records. Records for books include the standard reference data as well as numerous reading levels (e.g. lexiles), awards that books have won, and reading lists. What's more, many entries feature book reviews that, for example, let teachers see what others think about a book before having students read it. To top it off, CLCD provides a free newsletter with notable developments in children’s literature, and a booking service to connect famous children’s literature figures with schools and other organizations. They do it all very well; with good reason, this October the School Library Journal wrote "CLCD deserves a solid A."

As a business major, I was especially interested in the inner workings of such a venture. Particularly, how could one approach the apparently astronomical task of setting up, maintaining, and expanding such a database? What sort of unexpected logistics issues would they need to surmount? How do they promote their product?

In my externship at CLCD, CLCD masterminds privileged me with such inside information, letting me learn from a number of their key figures. What I learned was eye-opening. I will mention a few salient points of my experiences.

The database is in a small-business format. Such a database need not be run by a multitude—thankfully. The lean nature of their business makes it far more flexible than a large corporation. If a change needs to be made in the website, it can be done without any bureaucratic hassle. Marilyn Courtot, the president of CLCD, showed me her approach to leading this kind of business. Their bookkeeper gave me flashbacks to my accounting courses as she guided me through their process of managing their incoming and outgoing funds.

Online marketing for CLCD has been rapidly expanding in the last few months. They recently began a Twitter page as well as a blog. Both are followed by librarians, teachers, and others who want to keep tabs on the children’s literature world. These, added to the wealth of free, regularly updated information in their website and newsletters periodically sent to customers and other interested parties, comprise a wholesome recipe for communications success.

While it is a small business in one sense, it is a large business in another. Particularly, the information processing spans numerous states. Some information is prepared in Maryland, and after being sent around to certain specialists in Michigan, Virginia, and New Jersey, the information is added to the database. The national network of professionals managing the data entry was fascinating to encounter.

Lastly, I was also able to contribute my own personal services and recommendations for promotion, their website, and marketing of certain services. For the purposes of this entry, however, they must be kept confidential. I am glad to be able to leave a mark on CLCD during the short time of my service there, and I look forward to being able to serve it in the future.

Indeed, the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database is no childish database. Overall, I am very grateful to Mrs. Courtot and the University of Maryland for the opportunity to participate in this externship and learn how such a superb service is provided and promoted. The contacts made and lessons learned I hope to take far into the future.

~Marc McCarthy

My Externship with Gary W. Lonergan

2009-12-04T06:32:00.000-08:00

My name is Dora Larson. I am a senior English, art history and French major, and have applied to law school for the fall of 2010. I completed my externship with Gary W. Lonergan, a lawyer in Alexandria,Virginia.

October 16, 2009

I spent my first day with Mr. Lonergan in his office in Alexandria, Virginia. Mr. Lonergan has his own private practice; his work includes business law, small business law, real estate, lease negotiation, contracts, estates and wills. We discussed how he approaches a case when he first decides to take it, and legal research in general. Although online law libraries have certainly changed the nature of this research, the practice of law is still quite book- and paper-based. Mr. Lonergan’s conference room has a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf filled with books of law-- and they are not just there for decoration. We also discussed the issue of confidentiality between a lawyer and his clients, an issue of utmost seriousness, even in seemingly routine cases. Mr. Lonergan is allowed to show case material to his employees (or interns); however, the umbrella of the lawyer-client confidentiality agreement extends to any such parties.

Mr. Lonergan also took me to the Circuit Court in Alexandria, where he showed me the law library, again reinforcing the continued importance of books and paper in the legal world, despite the increased prevalence of online work in other fields.

This day provided me with interesting exposure to the world of private law practice. I know much more about the public sector, so it was helpful to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each with Mr. Lonergan. Mr. Lonergan also reiterated to me that throughout his career, no one has ever been very concerned with where he went to law school-- rather, people just want to know whether or not he can help them. He emphasized that it is really skills and ability that lead to success, rather than a brand-name law degree. This was very encouraging-- I will certainly be considering this advice as I decide where to go to school next year.

October 30, 2009

On my second day, Mr. Lonergan introduced me to Judge Robert G. Mayer, a judge in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the eastern district of Virginia, Alexandria division. Judge Mayer told me about his legal career and what he does as a bankruptcy judge, described the procedure for hearing bankruptcy cases and showed me the courtrooms in the district courthouse.

I spent some time with Vikas Kumar, Judge Mayer’s clerk, who was rather swamped with work-- the state of the economy has made this quite a busy year for the bankruptcy courts. As I am interested in clerking after law school, my time with Vikas was very helpful-- a recent graduate of law school and a new clerk, he was able to give me some fresh insight. As a clerk, Vikas essentially prepares the cases for the judge: he goes through each case, summarizes it, finds and marks any problems with it, and submits it to the judge as either ready to approve or problematic. He said that clerking provides excellent practical training for law school graduates, especially since law school is very theoretical-- although he did take a course in bankruptcy in law school, he has learned most of it on the job. I have been trying to focus my interests and to choose a specialization in law school, precisely because of law school's broad curriculum; however, Vikas assured me that it is quite possible and intellectually challenging to learn on the job the way he does. I am now more comfortable with the idea of a broad legal education.

November 13, 2009

I spent my third day at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores in Alexandria. The NACDS lobbies Congress for the interests of its members-- which include, as its name suggests, CVS, Rite-Aid, Target, etc. Only some of its employees are lawyers; many work in public relations or public policy, one is a pharmacist, a few are both lawyers and pharmacists. I met with many different people with a wide variety of backgrounds. After my discussions with them, I had a better sense of the kind of policy work you can do both with and without a law degree.

I have never considered lobbying as a career after law school, and while my conversations at NACDS were helpful, I still do not plan to pursue lobbying. While I am interested in advocacy (specifically environmental advocacy), I just do not think I have the personality for lobbying, which depends so much on who you know, in addition to what you know. Further, the overwhelming consensus among the NACDS employees with whom I spoke was that a law degree is unnecessary to lobby. I am more interested in a career where my degree will be directly useful. That being said, my visit to NACDS helped me understand they way people with different backgrounds must work together for a lobbying organization to function, so I definitely feel more informed about the different forces that influence the legislature.

My visit to the NACDS was particularly timely, given the healthcare reform bill currently in Congress. While no one I spoke to expressed a political stance, the NACDS represents the interest of business. I personally strongly support a public option. However, I was actually very happy with my experience at NACDS. I spoke with people from both sides of the political spectrum, all of whom respected each other and the goals of their organization, regardless of their personal feelings. I am a native Washingtonian, so I am used to the pervasiveness of politics in all conversations. I always greatly appreciate such mutual respect and cooperation as I saw at NACDS. Everyone I spoke to was very encouraging and happy to tell me about their work.

Conclusion

I would highly recommend that prospective law students complete such an externship, even if they have a good sense of what they want to study in law school. I intend to study international environmental law and would eventually like to work in governmental clean water regulation. Through the careers of my parents, I am quite familiar with the public sector of law. After my externship, I feel more familiar with the private sector and have more of a sense of the different directions I could take my career. I will approach law school with an open mind, ruling out nothing until I have learned more about it.

Mr. Lonergan was very helpful in exposing me to very different areas of law and very supportive of my educational and career goals. His commitment to helping new generations of Maryland graduates succeed in their careers is an admirable and much appreciated gift to our community.

My Externship with Matthew Wasniewski and Don Ritchie

2009-12-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

My Externship with Matthew Wasniewski and Don Ritchie

A few weeks ago I started my Externship, which has me working with Historians from Congress. Instead of working with just the Senate or the House side, I was lucky enough to be matched up with historians from both sides of the Congress.

On my first day of the externship, I got to work with Matthew Wasniewski, a Historian and Deputy of Chief at the Office of History and Preservation for the House of Representatives. Matthew first told me a bit about the responsibilities of the office. For one, it is responsible for the House's historical documents and official records from the House; it collects them, organizes them, and preserves them. They also conduct and collect oral interviews with Congressional and White House staff.

The Office also is responsible for the print and now, the online editions, of the biographies of Congressman. They also publish various books, such as one about women in Congress, along with brochures, art-related information, and necessary House publications.

Matthew and his staff introduced me to the Office of The Clerk website, and showed me some of its features, such as biographies, interesting random facts, and human pieces. In fact, I was assigned to write an interest piece about a former Representative for their website.

Afterwards, he took me around the U.S. Capitol and showed me the new exhibition hall, on which the House worked with the Senate to pick out themes and display pieces. Matthew told me about the statutes, which states donate, that are displayed in the Capitol. Until recently, they have been put away, and now they are decorating the hallways of the Capitol.

The newest part of the Capitol, which was recently constructed, is beautiful, with marble floors and priceless artifacts on display for the public. The murals and the infamous painted ceiling in the Capitol building also has an interesting background. The italian painter, who was very old, fell of the ladder while painting the walls and while he was fine, he decided to allow his apprentice to finish the job. The fact that two different artists worked on that masterpiece is not even evident, since it looks as if it is done by the same artist.

He also showed me around the floor of the Congress, where I have never been before, and told me about the changes that have been made or are going to be made there. Not only that, but he told me how Congress exactly operates when it's in session, and threw in a few interesting stories about past events that occurred on the floor.

Overall, the time I spent with Matthew has been very informative. I learned about how the

office works, and all the responsibilities and effort that go into maintaining the historical documents of the House. I also got an incredible tour of the Capitol, and learned about all the facts, of which I was previously unaware, and that made Congress that much more interesting to me. I really enjoyed the time that I have spent there and learned a lot of important and interesting information about the Congress, especially the House side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i said before, as part of this Externship, I got to work with historians from both sides of the Congress. The Historian from the Senate side with whom I was matched up is Donald Ritchie.

The duties of the Senate Historical Office are very similar to that of the House. This office is also responsible for collecting, preserving, publishing, and distributing historical information that deals with the Senate side. Since the Senate is significantly smaller than the House of Representatives, the Office is able to get much more detailed information about the Senators, and is slightly more ahead in various ways, such as photographs of Senatorial events, since they do not have to cover as many people as Matthew's office.

Just like the office for the House side, Don's office also upkeeps a website with biographies, needed up-to date information about the Senate, and even interest pieces. I was assigned to write a biographical piece about a former Senator for the office's website.

Besides the website duties, the office is also responsible for publishing pamphlets, informational guides and books. In fact, the Senate Historical Office often works with the House Historical Office on various projects. For instance, they both work together on deciding which pieces are showcased in the Capitol. Furthermore, the two offices worked together to publish the book "Women in Congress."

Both sides are also responsible for providing information to those who call and request information about the Congress, whether it's the outcome of a hearing, or a biography of a Congressman.

Overall, I am ecstatic about the chance to work with these two men. I think this Externship was an amazing experience and provided me with an inside look at the workings of the Congress, which has interested me for years, and is somewhere I hope to work one day. I got to hear in-depth stories about the history of the Congress, and was even told some amusing stories about various congressman and events that many people do not know about. I am really grateful for this opportunity to work with Matthew and Don, and feel that this externship was extremely beneficial in confirming my interest in government.

My Externship with Matthew Wasniewski

2009-12-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

Afterwards, he took me around the U.S. Capitol and showed me the new exhibition, on which the House worked with the Senate to pick out themes and display pieces. Matthew told me about the statutes, which states donate, that are displayed in the Capitol. Until recently, they have been put away, and now they are decorating the hallways of the Capitol.

One of the most impressionable parts of the tour was when Matthew showed me the Women's Sitting Room, which used to be the Speaker's room, in which President John Quincy Adams died. He also showed me around the floor of the Congress, where I have never been before, and told me about the changes that have been made or are going to be made there. Not only that, but he told me how Congress exactly operates when it's in session, and threw in a few interesting stories about past events that occurred on the floor.

Overall, the time I spent with Matthew has been very informative. I learned about how his office works, and all the responsibilities and effort that goes into maintaining the historical documents of the House. I also got an incredible tour of the Capitol, and learned about all the facts, of which I was previously unaware, and that made Congress that much more interesting to me. I really enjoyed the time that I have spent there and learned a lot of important and interesting information about the Congress, especially the House side.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As i said before, as part of this Externship, I got to work with historians from both sides of the Congress. The Historian from the Senate side with whom I was matched up is Donald Ritchie.

Both sides are also responsible for providing information to those who call and request information about the Congress, whether it's the outcome of a hearing, or a biography of a Congressman.

My Externship with Eleanor McKay of Niermann-Weeks, part 1

2009-11-30T19:54:00.001-08:00

Niermann Weeks is a company run by Eleanor McKay (my host for the externship) and her husband Joe Niermann. They create high-end lighting fixtures and furniture, all of which is heavily influenced by historical pieces and methods.

October 21st

On this first day of my externship I visited the Niermann Weeks showroom in DC to attend a meeting of a University of Maryland Alumni association, of which Eleanor is a member. There I met some UMd grads, professors, and even an alumna of the Language House (Chinese Cluster)! Of course I also got to meet Eleanor while viewing Niermann-Weeks’ pieces in person at the showroom.

Eleanor explained some details of the company to me. Although their clients include the interior designers of the wealthiest members of society and their creations have often graced the White House, they are still feeling the negative effects of the current bad economy. In fact, Niermann-Weeks has seen a 75% drop in business in the past three years. As Eleanor put it, “rich people need to start spending again.”

We went on to discuss the importance of the company breaking into online networking to remain successful and get ahead during this slump in the economy. They’re now utilizing tools like Facebook , Twitter, and a blog to gain attention and create interest. Niermann Weeks’ lighting was even recently awarded the Reader’s Choice Luxist Award—the winner of this award was chosen via online vote, proving that Eleanor is successfully utilizing new online communication methods to her company’s benefit.

November 2nd

This was a very exciting day as I got to see Niermann Weeks’ headquarters in Millersville, which houses both their offices and their factory. Well, not quite “factory,” since each of their pieces is handmade. It’s really more of a large workshop. “The University of Maryland taught me how to read, write, and think,” Eleanor told me as she gave me a preliminary tour of the workshop. Continuing her education post-grad is what enabled Eleanor to learn to catalogue and organize the vast amounts of information she had begin to acqure, allowing her to apply her history research to design problems.

Walking me through the building, Eleanor told me about the difficulty of working around changing fashions in an industry like hers. A great example of this is the fact that TV cases—those huge, imposing pieces that once graced everyone’s living room—are now obsolete thanks to flat screen TVs.

Entering the Niermann Weeks workshop.

Eleanor shows me an in-progress chandelier.

While introducing me to various artisans throughout the building (some were beading chandeliers, some were upholstering furniture, while others were preparing pieces for shipment), Eleanor explained that the work done by Niermann-Weeks requires differentiation between artists, craftspeople, and businesspeople. While those who fashion Niermann-Weeks’ pieces should certainly possess a certain artistry, they are really craftspeople whose job it is to reproduce a certain person’s (in this case Joe Niermann’s, the furniture designer’s) style. In addition, there need to be able businesspeople overseeing the company and ensuring that all is running smoothly.

Most of Niermann Weeks’ pieces receive their unique finished appearance by being sprayed with layers of texture-creating substances and paints. Because of their workshop’s proximity to waterways, they are extremely aware of the effects that their finishing processes could have on the surrounding ecosystem, and therefore use primarily water-based colors and sprays.

The station where all pieces receive their signature spray finishes.

All of Niermann-Weeks’ product reference older pieces, an their best sellers are items that look familiar because of their historical references, but are useful in modern life. Eleanor likes the “raw material” of history, she tells me while showing me some especially aged-looking pieces, which certainly shows Eleanor’s UMd History degree at work.

Eleanor discussed with me a specific difficulty the company is facing right right now—copyright laws and the fact that they now no longer cover furniture. This means that Niermann-Weeks cannot protect their designs, making knock-offs possible. Adding to this is the fact that Niermann Weeks has begin posting the prices of their pieces on their website, something that is unusual for such a company.

Although this unique transparency can help those who specialize in knocking off designers, it also makes the company and what it has to offer more accessible to potential customers, another tactic that can help Niermann Weeks overcome current financial troubles. As Eleanor put it, the furniture industry requires an infusion of new blood into its client base, so the more new attention their line receives, the better.

Again we touched on the current recession and how it’s affecting the company. When Eleanor and her husband started the company decades ago, it was during a different recession, but this one is not like other recessions, Eleanor explained to me, in that the rich still haven’t resumed their normal spending habits.

In light of our discussions about garnering attention via the internet, Eleanor asked me to begin creating a Wikipedia page for John Saladino, an interior designer who has been very influential, but who is not yet represented on this important information database.

A Saladino interior.

Talking to N.W.’s graphic designer and head of online information distribution

Since my areas of study are design and marketing, I was very excited to get to meet with Bill Gardner during my first visit to the Niermann Week’s headquarters. I had already touched on the subject of the online marketing of the company and its products with Eleanor.

Bill told me that his job is basically to “get the ideas out of Joe [Niermann]’s head” and to a place where they are accessible—in this case various places online. Bill is now utilizing social media including Facebook, a blog, and even Twitter. Since the sort of products Niermann Weeks produces are the first to be slashed in a bad economy, the company needed affordable and efficient advertising like that offered by the internet. Supplying the public (and potential customers) with details about their products and engaging information about the company and the people who run it has succeeded in giving N.W. a human face, which similar companies tend to lack. Leaders like Eleanor are able to see the benefit in trying new outlets like these before others and use them to succeed in even a very trying economic environment.

November 9

During out previous meeting, Eleanor had given me the task of researching articulated sculptures, which which Joe Niermann had taken to collecting, and find out about their history and discern their worth in today’s market. As it turned out, these creations, which almost always represent animals and insects with fully articulated limbs, originated in Japan and are called jizai okimono. As only a small handful of artisans still produce them today, they are increasingly valuable.

A spiny lobster jizai made by Takase Kozan, 20th Century.

Eleanor discussed the company’s upcoming sample sale with me, which really has the potential to make the company money for the year.

November 18

Niermann Weeks did fairly well at the sample sale. A particularly rewarding thing about the sale was that some people there recognized Eleanor from her blog on the Niermann-Weeks site and even quoted from it, affirming that the company’s online endeavors are indeed gaining them recognition and attention.

Eleanor and I poured over a few architectural magazines to see, by examining the ads and articles, which sorts of companies are managing to stay afloat. Eleanor also always makes a point of noting what’s new and who’s hot in the field of interior design and finds photo spreads that have used Niermann Weeks’ pieces in their compositions.

We also perused interior designers’ websites from the design and business perspective. Eleanor taught me a little about the history and atmosphere of the interior design world and how it’s been changing recently. In fact, part of the reason Eleanor and the company decided to take their merchandise online and make it more available the the wholesale marketplace is that their extremely wealthy clientele can be so needy and difficult to work with. Furthermore, over the past twenty years, the once-closed market of interior design has had to become more transparent because of the internet and the movement toward mass-produced luxury goods, so Niermann-Weeks’ changing tactics are indicative of a more wide-spread change throughout the interior design world.

In this economy, a huge part of Eleanor’s job as a leader is to keep a smile on her face and spread good cheer. She has a huge responsibility to all of Niermann Weeks’ employees to maintain a positive attitude, which can be instrumental in pulling any group of people out of a slump. Eleanor admits that she sometimes uses her arts and humanities education by reading voraciously as a form of escapism, which seems like a most beneficial thing—if she stays upbeat, she can pass that feeling on to her employees and coworkers. Since it remains difficult to plan for the future in an economy like today’s, this may be one of the most important jobs a leader has.

להיות בקבוצת העברית/ Being in the Hebrew Cluster

2009-11-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

באיזה קבוצה אתם רוצים להיות? קבוצת העברית!!!
להיות בקבוצת העברית כאן בבית השפות היא חוויה נהדרת. כולנו משפחה אחת גדולה. פתחנו את הסמסטר עם סימולציה של ים המלח. עשינו היכרות מכוסים בבוץ מים המלח. ים המלח הוא חסרת מוצא. חופיו הם המקום היבשתי הנמוך ביותר בעולם. ריכוז המלח בים המלח הוא 33.7%. בוץ ים המלח, עשיר במינרלים, משפר את זרימת הדם ואת העור. זהו טיפול טבעי לעור.

מאוחר יותר, חגגנו את ראש השנה, עם תפוחים מסוכרים

לשנה טובה ומתוקה.
נהנינו מארוחה עם שאר בית השפות בתוך הסוכה שבנינו לחג הסוכות. בשביל הארוחת ערב מסביב העולם, אפינו חלה ומרק וחיפשנו את ג’ו בסגנון ישראלי. שבוע שעבר, פענחנו טקסט מעורב עם סלנג וקיצורי מילים דרך משחק חפש את המטמון ומשימות רבות. אנחנו תמיד לומדים ונהנים!

What cluster do you want to be in? HEBREW CLUSTER!!
Being in the Hebrew Cluster here in the language house is a great experience. We are all one big family.

We started off the semester with a Dead Sea Simulation, getting to know each other while smeared in Dead Sea mineral mud. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth on dry land, being 422 meters or 1,385 feet below sea level. It has a salt concentration of 33.7%, 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. The Dead Sea mud improves blood circulation and skin generation, it is a natural treatment for many skin disorders.

Later on, we celebrated Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year with sweet apples, for a sweet new year, and we enjoyed a meal with the rest of the language house in our Homemade Sukkah, or temporary dwelling for the holiday of Sukkot. For the Around the World Dinner, we baked Challah bread and made soup and tracked down where Joe is, Israeli style. Last week we deciphered text mixed with Israeli slang and word abbreviations through a treasure hunt and many missions. We are always learning and having fun!

Shani Mushkat
Hebrew Cluster Mentor

Japanese Cluster Goes to The Freer Gallery/ 日本語クラスターがフリーア美術館に行きます

2009-10-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

１０月１１日に日本語クラスターは皆でフリーア美術館へ行きました。フリーア美術館の専門は東アジアの美術で、昔の日本の絵像や彫像をたくさん見ることが出来たわけです。フリーア美術館は１９２３年にチャールズ・ラング・フリーアに開館されました。フリーアに入ると、意外に背の高い、よくお寺に置いてある「金剛力士」（こんごりきし）という、悪魔に対して守る彫像、が挨拶します。それに、日本の屏風も見ました。屏風は金箔で塗られることが多くて、明かりの低いところ（ろうそくのあかりなど）で見るべきのものです。日本の仏教の美術も多いです。例えば、蓮に座っている仏の彫像があります。これは泥のある世界から知恵を取るべきという隠喩です。１１世紀に紫式部に書かれた世界中最も古い小説の一つの源氏物語がテーマである美しい挿絵もあります。

展示の他に、フリーアはある時に日本の映画やアニメを見せることもあります。ワシントンにあるアジアの一部を味わって、時間と距離で東アジアへ旅するように、ぜひいつかフリアー美術館に寄ってください。

On October 11, the Japanese cluster took a trip to the Freer Gallery in Washington, D.C. Opened in 1923 by Charles Lang Freer, the Freer Gallery specializes in Asian art, which means that we got to a see a lot of old Japanese paintings and statues. As you walk into the Japanese section of the Freer, you are greeted by a towering kongorikishi, a Japanese guardian statue which is often found near temples in Japan to scare away evil spirits. We also saw Japanese folding screens, known as byobu. These screens are often painted with gold leaf and are meant to be viewed in low light (such as candlelight). Much of the art found at the Freer is Japanese Buddhist-themed art. There are, for example, statues of the Buddha perched on lotus flowers. This is a metaphor of how one must take the essence of wisdom from the muddiness of the world. The museum also contains beautiful illustrations and golden calligraphy from the Tale of Genji, one of the oldest novels of all time, written by Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century.

Occasionally, the Freer also has showings of Japanese movies and animations. So for a taste of Japan in DC, stop by the Freer and Sackler galleries and transport yourself in time and space to the ancient far east.

Il mio anno a stelle e strisce / My Year of Stars and Stripes

2009-10-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

Riflessioni della Mentor dell'Italian Cluster / The Italian Cluster Mentor's first impression of America

Sono partita dall'Italia con la valigia carica di libri, il cuore rigonfio di nostalgia e la mente piena di grandi aspettative. L'idea degli Stati Uniti che mi accompagnava era quella costruita, immagine dopo immagine, dai media: strade ampie e grattacieli smisurati, sinonimi fisici e tangibili del "libero pensiero".
Poi, sono arrivata. Dall'aereo sono stati gli spazi immensi, apparentemente infiniti, a lasciarmi esterrefatta. All'inizio è stata dura: il culture shock è stato violento e la sensazione di essere una formichina nell'immensità aveva offuscato quello che per ogni europeo è il sogno americano!
Passati i momenti bui, ho cominciato a guardarmi intorno, a scoprire la diversità, ad approfondire la mia visione dell' "americanità". E' bello vedere che, ogni giorno che passa, il mosaico si arricchisce di nuovi (a volte, affascinanti!) elementi e notare come quella che era la mia percezione del mondo, statica e piuttosto ristretta, diventa sempre più ampia e dinamica.
Quello che oggi mi è chiaro più di tutto è che ognuno di noi è unico, esattamente come tutti gli altri e che, come notava Platone, "non siamo nati solo per noi stessi", ma per condividere la nostra vita con gli altri!
A un mese e mezzo dal mio arrivo, ho imparato a convivere allegramente con le "mie" ragazze… e, tra un pettegolezzo e una risata, un cluster meeting e una passeggiata, è bello continuare la nostra "straordinaria" avventura nel crogiolo culturale della Language House.

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I left Italy with a suitcase full of books, a nostalgia for my home country, and lots of hope for the upcoming months. My idea of the United States was the one created for most Italians through the media; massive highways and skyscrapers that are physical symbols of the American Dream.
When I finally arrived here, I got to see the way things were for myself. Even from the airplane, I saw immense, open landscapes that took my breath away. The beginning was not easy; I couldn't get over the culture shock, and the feeling of being so small in such a big place made me perceive America as overwhelming more than anything! After that initial moment, I started to reflect on the new environment I found myself in; I began to appreciate the differences in culture and develop my own idea of what it means to be American.
Every day here expands my understanding of the world, and every day I am illuminated by new fascinating elements! The biggest lesson that I have learned here is that we're all similar in that everyone of us is different and, just like Plato noted, “we are not born just for ourselves”, but rather to share our existence with others!
Already a month and a half has passed by, and I’m living happily with “my” girls… and, through a gossip and a laugh, a cluster meeting and a stroll, I’ve learned that I’m lucky to be experiencing this extraordinary adventure in the melting pot that is the Language House.

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Gabby Stranieri

In occasione del 20° anniversario della Language House, l'Italian cluster ha preparato l'interpretazione di una canzone dal significato molto toccante. La scorsa primavera, un terremoto terribile ha scosso l'Abruzzo, in particolar modo la provincia de L'Aquila, cambiando irrimediabilmente la vita di migliaia di persone. In onore delle vittime e con l'intento di raccogliere fondi, molti cantanti e cantautori, sia contemporanei che "storici", si sono uniti per scrivere e interpretare la canzone "Domani". Questa canzone sembra voler dare speranza e luce agli ascoltatori - senza badare alla nazionalità - ed è per questo motivo che l'abbiamo trovata particolarmente appropriata all'evento del 20° anniversario. Ci siamo esercitate a squarciagola e, a volte, abbiamo come l'impressione che nei muri del nostro appartamento si possa ancora sentire la canzone che risuona!

For the 20th Anniversary of The Language House, the Italian cluster prepared a song that has a great deal of significance in Italy right now. Last spring, a terrible earthquake hit the region of Abruzzo, particularly the province of L'Aquila, forever changing the lives of thousands. To honor the victims and raise relief funds, Italian artists, both contemporary and old school, got together and wrote a beautiful tribute song called, "Domani," or "Tomorrow." The song gives hope and light to listeners - regardless of nationality - and we found it particularly appropriate for the 20th anniversary event. We had a blast practicing and performing, and within our apartment walls you can still hear the song playing.

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Liz Troullos

Se c'è una cosa che il mondo intero associa all'Italia, è senza dubbio il cibo! Per il Progressive snack di quest'anno, abbiamo deciso di fare le chiacchiere, dei dolcetti fritti ricoperti di zucchero a velo o cioccolato… o entrambi! E' stato un vero divertimento: abbiamo fatto l'impasto a mano e lo abbiamo steso con la macchina per la pasta. Poi, abbiamo tagliato le sfoglie in piccole strisce e abbiamo dato loro una forma intrecciata (molto diffusa nel Sud Italia) che ha consentito loro di gonfiarsi durante la friggitura! Il nome "chiacchiere" significa letteralmente "piccole chit-chats"; ma ci sono tante storie che cercano in qualche modo di spiegare la ragione di questo nome buffo: quello che ci piace di più è sapere che quando si masticano producono un suono croccante che assomiglia ad un chiacchiericcio soffuso.

If there's one thing that the whole world associates with Italy, it's definitely food! For this progressive snack, we decided to make Chiacchiere, an Italian fried pastry that's often covered in powdered sugar or chocolate....or both! It was a really fun process making them; we made the dough from scratch and rolled it out with a pasta machine. We then cut the strips of dough into smaller pieces and rolled them into a shape traditional to southern Italy, and they puffed up a lot when fried! The name "chiacchiere" literally means "little chit-chats"; there are plenty of stories that
attempt to explain this name, but our favorite is that when you chew them, they make a crunchy sound that imitates a conversation.

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Emoni Viruet

Era la primavera del 2007 ma sembra ieri quando sono entrata a far parte della Language House. Il semestre scorso è stato davvero molto interessante: il gruppo di studenti era molto...diciamo, particolare! Ogni persona aveva preso un accento diverso a seconda della regione italiana con la quale aveva qualche rapporto: napoletano, piemontese, siciliano, ecc. Io mi sentivo dire spesso che avevo un accento romano! Saranno stati tutti quei film che ho visto, chissà! Nell'appartamento avevamo una Mentor di origini siciliane, Cristina, e ricordo che era sempre una festa mangiare dai suoi! Suo padre e suo fratello erano proprio dei personaggi!
E' bello poter parlare non solo con delle persone che studiano italiano, ma anche con madrelingua, e questo rappresenta una sfida costante: ogni giorno si migliora! Questo mi ha aiutato tantissimo anche durante il mio periodo di studio invernale in Italia.
Purtroppo, il prossimo dicembre si chiuderà il mio lungo episodio con il gruppo italiano, ma me ne andrò estremamente soddisfatta! Sento di aver raccolto tutto quello che mi è stato offerto in questi due anni!

It seemed like it was yesterday when I joined the Language House back in the Spring Term of 2007. Last semester was one to remember: the group of students in the Italian Cluster was, in a word...particular! Each person had adapted an accent from the Italian region they were most familiar with: Neapolitan, Piedmont, Sicilian, etc. I was often told I had a Roman accent. This is probably because of all the Italian films we've seen, who knows? Our mentor at the time was Cristina, a girl of Sicilian heritage, and I will always remember what a blast was to eat dinner with her family at her house! Her father and brother were specially quite the characters!
It is really nice speaking with a group of people that studies Italian, but also with those that speak it natively, which to me is always like a challenge, making my Italian better every time. This helped me very much, since later on, during the Winter Term of 2009, I would land for the first time in Italy, to study the history of Baroque art in Genova.
Unfortunately, this December I will end my long episode with the Italian group, but aside this, I can say I have gained plenty over these past two years

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Website Spotlight

2009-10-11T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I just wanted to spotlight the beautiful new Italian cluster website: http://www.languages.umd.edu/lh/italiancluster/Sito/about_us.html. Check it out and the other cluster websites (http://www.languages.umd.edu/lh/clusters.html) for information on language house members and cluster events!

Thanks,
Lauren Woolsey
(German Cluster Apt. Leader and Website Club Co-Chair)

Some of what the Japanese Cluster is doing this semester

2009-10-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

先週の火曜日はLanguage Houseでのはじめてのいけばなワークショップを行いました。バージニアに住む草月いけばなの理事、ジェイン・レッドモン先生に来てもらいました。レッドモン先生は３０年以上もいけばなをところどころで教えてきたとおっしゃっい、ワシントン、バルチモア、フロリダ州、テキサス州、モンタナ州などにも行ったことがあるといっていました。Language Houseの二十周年のお祝いのため、先生は五つのいけばなを作ってくれました。日本語のクラスター全員のほか、日本の美術などに興味を持つ人も来てくれていました。

草月いけばなは伝統的ないけばなの重要な要素を持ちますが、、とても前衛的なものもあります。驚くような色の組み合わせ、花以外の植物、オブジェ、面白い形の花瓶や入れ物などをたくさん使うよう芸術です。理論のことを習ったり生け花のデモンストレーションを見るのもよかったのですが、学生たちは直接自分で生け花が作れるワークショップになって生き生きとよみがえりました。みんなは思いがけない才能を持ち、楽しそうに花を扱っていました。全体としてこのイベントは成功であり、ぜがひでもまたここでいけばなのワークショップを行いたいと思います。

Last Tuesday, we had a first-ever Ikebana Workshop at the Language House - the ancient art of Japanese flower arrangement. We welcomed Jane Redmon Sensei from Virginia, who is a Riji of Sogetsu school of Ikebana. Redmon sensei told us that she had been teaching Ikebana all around the country for over thirty years、and she had been to Washington DC, Baltimore, Florida, Texas and Montana teaching. For the Language House 20th Anniversary Celebration, she made us 5 flower arrangements. Apart from the members of the Japanese cluster, people interested in Japanese art showed up for the event as well.

The Sogetsu school of Ikebana has the main elements of the traditional flower arrangement, but there are some avant-garde works.　This is an art that uses surprising color combinations, plants other than flowers, art objects, interesting vases and containers. It was great learning the theory and watching the demonstration, but the students came alive when time came for the workshop, in which they could actually work with the flowers. Everybody had an unexpected knack for it, and seemed to be having fun arranging the flowers. Overall, this was a successful event, and I'd love to do the Ikebana workshop again.

Vom deutschen Mentor / From the German Mentor

2009-09-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Tja, was könnt’ man alles zum Thema sagen?? Ich wohne nun zum ersten Mal seit JAHREN wieder in einem Studentenwohnheim und hatte, um ganz ehrlich zu sein, etwas Angst davor, mich wieder unter die tobenden Menschenmengen zu mischen. Tommy, pass mal auf, sagte ich mir, vielleicht rettet dich noch deine Funktion als „Authoritätsperson“, vielleicht überstehst du ja sogar die Anfangsphase und stressigen Einstieg, indem du dir Respekt verschaffst. Nicht dass das alles mir nicht gelungen wäre, aber ich habe festgestellt, dass ich jede Menge noch dazuzulernen habe, und zwar in vielen verschiednen Lebensbereichen. Was Begriffe wie Führungsqualität, Verantwortung und Integrität angeht: das mag jeder auf seine eigne Weise definieren wollen, irgendwie müssen wir aber im Sprachhaus (und damit ist nicht nur mein eigener Cluster gemeint, sondern alle Wohngenossen in unserem schönen Backsteinhaus) versuchen unsere interkulturellen Lernerfahrungen auf einen gemeinsamen Nenner zu bringen. Manch einer Plan erweist sich erst bei der Umsetzung als ein Griff ins Klo, allerdings sollten wir gemeinsam aus unseren Fehlern lernen. Weil unser Sprachhaus zugleich ein Labor ist, in dem hochambitionierte Entwürfe und Einfälle ausprobiert, ausgewertet, ja schließlich auch übernommen bzw. verworfen werden müssen. Ärgerlich? Freilich! Höchst zeitintensiv? Auf alle Fälle. Aber am Ende haben wir alle was davon. Am Ende sitzen wir – trotz enormer sprachlicher und kultureller Vielfältigkeit – alle im selben Boot. Zurückblickend auf die ersten paar Wochen, seit denen ich hier im Einsatz bin, kann ich nur lauthals betonen, wie stolz ich auf meine Jungs und Mädels bin, dass die mich jeden Tag mit ihren raschen Fortschritten und Lernbereitschaft immer wieder aufs Neue überraschen. Das nenn’ ich mal einen reichen Lohn!

Well, well, well...what shall I talk about here? For the first time in many years, I find myself tucked away in student housing, and I definitely – to be very honest – was a bit scared to once again be in the middle of the raging masses. Tommy watch out, I told myself, maybe your „position of authority“ will save you, maybe you’ll get through the first phase here by winning respect. Not that I am failing in this regard, but I certainly have ascertained that I have a WHOLE LOT of things to learn in many different areas. Each person might tend to define concepts like leadership, responsibility and integrity in his or her own way, but we (and I mean here everyone in my cluster, as well as all fellow inhabitants of the entire little brick dorm known as St. Mary’s) must somehow find a way to find a common link and purpose in our intercultural learning experiences. Many ideas turn out to be bad choices or missteps. Yet we must all learn from our mistakes, as our Language House is also a type of laboratory, in which ambitious designs must be tested and evaluated, eventually to be incorporated or completely rejected. Frustrating? Totally! Time-intensive? Completely. But in the end, we all gain much from this process. In the end, we are all in the same boat, despite the inherent enormous linguistic and cultural diversity. Glancing back at the first few weeks of my job in the Language House, I can only emphatically reinforce how proud I am of my cluster-mates; they never cease to amaze me with their quick progress and their constant willingness to learn. If nothing else, that’s what I would call a wonderful reward!

Alltagsleben mit den Deutschen / Everyday Life with the Germans

2009-09-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

*Christopher Tabisz*

Die ersten paar Wochen waren im Sprachhaus genial. Es ist ja hervorragend, mit anderen Studenten zu wohnen, die auch Interessen in Sprachen, und vor allem Deutsch, haben. Ich leite auch den Sprachhaustanzverein, und Studenten aus allen Clusters kommen, um sich dort zu amüsieren. Ich finde es super, dass wir im Verein und auch im Sprachhaus so viele Veranstaltungen hier anbieten können. Der „Progressive Snack“ war ausgezeichnet. Alle Clusters haben köstliches, kulturelles Essen vorbereitet, und es war natürlich sehr schwer, uns zu entscheiden, wer am Besten gekocht oder gebacken hat. Die Deutschen haben sich auch wunderschön für die Veranstaltung gekleidet, Nationalfußballtrikots, deutsche T-Shirts und natürlich dazu Lederhosen. Wir haben auch mit Studenten von anderen Clusters zu lauter Musik getanzt. Alle freuen sich dieses Jahr, im Sprachhaus zu sein!

The first couple of weeks in the Language House were awesome. It is excellent to live with other students, who are also interested in languages, especially German. I am also the Language House dance club chair, and students from all of the clusters come to enjoy themselves at the club. I think it is amazing what we can offer to the students in the dance club and the Language House as a whole. The Progressive Snack was outstanding. All of the clusters prepared delectable, cultural food, and it was of course very difficult for us to decide who cooked or baked the best. The Germans decided to dress up for the event in national soccer jerseys, German t-shirts and of course even lederhosen. We also danced with students from other clusters to great music. Everyone is so excited to be in the Language House this year!

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*Marissa Goldner*

Marissa Goldner ist total beschaeftigt, immer unterwegs und ueberall auf dem Campus! Normaleweise wacht sie ganz frueh auf und laueft allein oder mit dem Language House Laufesklub. Jeden Tag beginnt der Unterricht um 9 Uhr 30, und sie verspaetet sich ab und zu. Am Morgen hat sie entweder Marketing oder Management, und beide diese Kurse sind ganz schwierig. Am Mittag trifft sie Freunden, um Mittagessen zu essen oder Kaffee zu trinken. Am Nachmittag geht sie wieder zum Unterricht und sie nimmt an vielen „Deutsch Verein“ Aktivitaeten teil. Sie versucht alle ihre Hausaufgabe zu machen, aber fast jeden Tag hat sie ein Treffen. Am Abend redet sie gern mit ihren Mitbewoehnerinnen und am Freitag feiert sie Shabbat bei der Synagoge. Ab und zu faehrt sie nach Washington DC, aber regelmaesig verbringt sie das Wochenende mit Freunden.

Marissa Goldner is totally busy, always out and about, and overall on campus. Normally she wakes up early and runs by herself or with the LH Running Club. Every day she has class at 9:30am and she’s late every now and then. In the morning she has either Marketing or Management class and both of these classes are difficult. In the middle of the day she meets friends for lunch or coffee. In the afternoon she has class again and participates in German Club activities. She tries to do all her homework but almost every day she has a meeting. At night she hangs out with her apartment mates and on Fridays she celebrates Shabbat at temple. Now and then she goes to Washington DC, but normally she spends her weekends with friends.

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*Farrah Al-Mansoor*

Das letzte Wochenende in September: Am Freitag bin ich von Arbeit nach Hause gegangen und ich habe das Wochenende erschöpft angefangen. Ich hatte vor, auf ein Fußballspiel zu gehen, also dachte ich, dass ein Schläfchen wäre eine gute Idee. Stattdessen schauten zwei Freundinnen vorbei und zwei von uns schauten eine Episode von „Dexter“. Dann machte ich endlich mein Schläfchen, aber es dauerte nur 40 Minuten. Dann sind wir in das Spiel gegangen, mein erstes Fußballspiel und ich bin schon ein Senior. Es hat mir Spaß gemacht, und die Menge war toll, aber ich war müde und das Wetter war ein bisschen zu kühl, also wollte ich nach Hause vor dem Ende des Spiels gehen. Zum Glück sind wir geblieben und unsere Mannschaft hat das einzige Tor des Spiels nur drei Minuten vor dem Ende geschossen. Wir haben gejubelt, wir haben geschrien, wir haben gepfiffen. Dann bin ich nach Hause gegangen und habe zwölf Stunden geschlafen. Am Samstag versuchte ich, meine Hausaufgaben zu machen, aber stattdessen bin ich zur Arbeit gegangen, ins ERC gegangen, und ins Supermarkt gegangen. Dann habe ich Muffins gebacken. Jetzt ist es Sonntag und ich habe viel zu tun. Natürlich, ob ich es wirklich tun werde, weiß ich noch nicht.

Last weekend of September: Leaving work at 5, I started the weekend exhausted. I had plans to go to the soccer game that night, so I thought a nap would be a good idea. Instead, a couple friends stopped by and two of us watched an episode of Dexter before I took a 40-minute nap. Then it was off to the game, the first soccer game the over three years I have been here. It was fun and the crowd was great, but I was cold and tired and wanted to leave earlier. Fortunately we didn’t, because we scored the only goal of the game with only three minutes on the clock. We screamed, we cheered, we whistled. Then I went home and slept for twelve hours. Saturday I tried to do homework, but instead went to work, went to the gym, went to the store and baked muffins. Now it’s Sunday and I have a lot to do. Of course, whether or not it will get done is another question.

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*Jess Gross*

Den ersten Monat im Sprachenhaus ist Spaß gemacht. Ich genieße Zeit mit meiner Mitbewohnerin! Ich mag meine Klassen. Ich genieße auch meine Aufgabe als ein athletischer Trainer. Ich bin auch glücklich, dass ich jetzt der Vizepräsident von Deutsch Verein bin. Ich hoffe, dass jeder auch einen guten ersten Monat vom neuen Semester gehabt hat.

The first month in the Language House has been fun. I enjoy spending time with my roommates! I like my classes. I also enjoy my job as an athletic trainer. I am also happy that I am now the Vice President of German Club. I hope everyone has also had a good first month of the new semester.

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*Lauren Woolsey*

Noch ein Jahr im Sprachhaus und nochmal wunderschön. Ich bin gluecklich, hier Wohnungmeisterin zu sein, denn unsere Hausarbeit wird dieses Jahr gemacht! (Frag NIGHT was letztes Jahr geschehen ist...) Progressive Snack hat viel Spass gemacht, Farrah und ich haben das Currywurst gekocht und die anderen haben geholfen, alles vorzubereiten. Natuerlich haben wir gewonnen, weil wir echt deutsches Essen gemacht haben, dass echt gut schmeckt! Ich freue mich auf alles, was mit Sprachhaus zu tun hat!

Another year in the Language House and yet again wonderful. I'm happy to be the apartment leader, so that our chores will get done this year! (DON'T ask what happened last year...) Progressive Snack was a lot of fun, Farrah and I baked the Currywurst and the others helped prepare everything. Naturally, we won because we made real German food that tasted really good! I look forward to everything having to do with the Language House!

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*Mark Bublitz*

Wenig konnte ich mich erstaunen, dass die Französinnen den kochenkrieg siegreich behandelt hatten. Allerdings sind Französinnen mit dem Mischen von Zutaten und Gewürzen am allerlistigsten. Aber ich ersrtaunte mich doch, dass die Deutsche küche so vielen geschmeckt hatte. Ich hatte gedacht dass die Deutsche küche für die meisten schrecklich war.

I was not surprised when the French women won the cooking contest. French food is renowned and praised worldwide. But I was very surprised that so many had enjoyed the German food. I had thought that for most German food registered just barely better than English food in terms of being edible.

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*Elisabeth Oehrlein*

Bei mir laeuft’s alles bisher richtig gut. Meine Mitbewohnerinnen sind alle ganz lieb und hoeflich und meine Kurse sind alle interessant. Beim Arbeit geht alles auch gut und wir gehen am Wochenende Camping und Kayaking. Ich war dieses Wochenende zu Hause, weil ich am Montag fruh einen Arzttermin habe. Darueber freu ich mich gar nicht, aber naja so ist das Leben. Heute hat die CDU/CSU die Wahl gewonnen, ich bin interessiert zu sehen wie sie mit die FDP regieren werden. Ausser dem ist nicht viel los.

For me, everything so far is going very well. My roommates are all very nice and polite and my courses are all very interesting. My job is going well and this weekend we are going camping and kayaking. I was at home this weekend because on Monday morning, I have a doctor’s appointment. I’m not very excited about that, but that’s life. Today, the conservatives won the vote and I am very interested to see how they will govern with their new coalition partners, the Free Democrat Party. Except for these things, there isn’t too much going on.

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*Nick Jimenez*

Als ich vor erstem Unterrichtstag das Gebäude betrat, die Treppen hinabstieg, und die vor mir entfaltende Szene betrachtete, wimmelt es im Mehrzwecksraum des Sprachhauses von Studenten, die sich hin und her bewegten, von Gespräch zum Gespräch, wie einander mit Fühler messende Ameisen. Einen Augenblick verzagte ich am Treppengeländer bevor ich mir Luft holte, dann, Gelassenheit und Zuversicht heuchelnd, mich dem Tisch nährte, auf dem köstlichen Nachtische zum Angebot standen. Ich nahm zwei Erdbeeren aus deren Gefäß heraus, und setzte sie auf einen winzigen, dünnen Teller, der sich leicht verbiegen lässt, wenn nicht beide Händen ihn genau aufrecht hielten, und das Gewicht der zwei Früchte so gut ertrug als wären sie heftige Frauen auf einem aufblasbaren Floß. Die Ausprägung eines guten ersten Eindrucks ist das Wichtigste, dachte ich, meiner Sozialpsychologie Kurse mich entsinnend, als eine der Erdbeeren, die ich soeben mit geschmolzener Schokolade hüllte, von einer abgebogenen Seite des Tellers abrutschte und auf den Boden prallte, sodass ich mich linkisch zu jener herablassen musste, die aufnahm, ohne die andere fallen zu lassen, und dann verlegen mir noch eine Beere mit schoko-verdeckten Fingern verschaffte. Ich entfernte mich mit betretener Miene vom Tisch und aß die Beeren so schnell wie möglich auf, damit ich wieder dem Genuß der Gesellschaft frönen konnte. Es wurde in dem Gewimmel lustige Geschichten erzählt, die Leute schienen sich gut mit den anderen zu vertragen, was mich ermutigt, mir Mut zu fassen, mich über meine Ungewandtheit zu erheben, und jemanden aus dem Pöbel, den ich nicht kannte, anzusprechen. Die Leute, zu denen ich mich gesellte, ergingen sich in Erinnerungen an ihre Zeit im Ausland. Freundlich bezogen sie mich in das Gespräch, und wir redeten über besondere Eigenschaften und Eigenarten verschiedener Länder, währenddessen stahl sich einer nach dem anderen aus dem Diskurs, um entweder andere Neuankömmlinge zu grüßen oder sich an der Unterhaltung eines anderen Kreises zu ergötzen, bis die übrige Gesellschaft allmählich dahinschwand, woraufhin ich mich einer neuen Gruppen anschloss.

When I entered the building on the day before the start of classes, descended the stairwell, and regarded the scene unfolding before me, the multipurpose room of the language house was teeming with students who moved back and forth from conversation to conversation much and assessed one another much as ants . I hesitated for a moment on the banister until I took a deep breath and, feigning Casualness and Confidence, approached the desert table. I took two strawberries out of their container and put them on a thin, tiny paper plate which bent easily when not fastened by both hands and bore the weight of the two fruits as well as a small inflatable raft would two hefty women. The formation of a good first impression is very important, I thought to myself, recalling the lessons learned in my psychology courses, whereupon one of the strawberries, which I had just covered in melted chocolate, slipped off one of the bent sides of the plate and smacked the floor. To pick it up, I awkwardly bent down so that I would not drop the remaining berry, then after that had been successfully executed, reached over and grasped yet another strawberry with my chocolaty fingers. My expression betraying embarrassment, I distanced myself from the table and consumed the berries as quickly as possible so that I may once again indulge in the pleasure of the present company. Lively stories were being told, people seemed to get along with one another, which encouraged me to take heart and approach someone new. The group I had joined was reminiscing about their time abroad. They included my into the conversation, and we spoke about the particular characteristics and quirks of those lands, during which one person after the other excused themselves from the assemblage, until the remaining company evanesced, whereupon I turned to another group.