Joseph Hatcher German Exchange 2017

                                                               First Flight and Family Week

An afternoon in Strassburg with family.

 I was blessed with the opportunity to arrive in Europe one week early and visit my relatives in Alsace. The flight went smoothly as we connected through Reykjavik and into Frankfurt. It was very beneficial to have a week to begin to acclimate to the new time zone, as well as begin practicing my German with my Alsatian relatives. Being around my cousins who are my age gave me much valuable insight into the economic and cultural context in France, whose own situation differs greatly from their neighbor, Germany. After a delightful week with family, I boarded a train in Offenburg and came into Wiesbaden, ready to meet my host family.

Life in Wiesbaden

My arrival at the Wiesbaden Main Station was met immediately by my host mother, Bettina, and host brother, Constantin. The Anz family was already very familiar with the MBA community, with Constantin having visited this past April, and their older son Chris having come to MBA two or three times in years past. The Anz family lives only a five minute walk from the train station, and the Humboldt School is right across the street. My first days there were a bit of a shock, since I had not been in a co-ed classroom since before I came to MBA in seventh grade. Their entire school culture also differed greatly, with their students taking on a much more casual relationship with their teachers. When not in class, we were provided ample opportunities to explore the city of Wiesbaden, whose hot springs date back to Roman times. We also had many group excursions, such as visiting the neighboring city of Mainz across the river. Phillip, Jack, and I even had the chance to visit the site of a dormant volcano in northern Hessen with a geology class. My favorite experience from these three weeks was when my host mother took me and Constantin into the countryside around the city, known locally as the Rheingau. The region's rolling hills reminded me of home, while the endless rows of grape vines and chateaus gave a unique background. Though I was very sad to depart from my family, I remained very excited to have the chance to visit Munich and Vienna.

The German-American friendship festival at the US army base

The Bavarian Experience

The Rheingau

Our train into Munich gave us a picturesque chance to see the Bavarian countryside, as we cruised ever more southward. Upon arrival we checked into our hostel and set out promptly into the city. We saw many grandiose public buildings whose over-sized nature reflected very appropriately the attitude of the Bavarian people toward their formal country capitol. We then had the somber experience of the Dachau concentration camp. The tour of the camp gave much historical context to the devastation wrought by the second world war. The rest of our stay was spent walking the city and touring the Olympic Park and soccer stadium. Our departure from Munich marked the beginning of the end of our wonderful time in Europe.

Vienna

The former capitol of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would become the most beautiful city that I have ever visited. Every building in the city center exuded an imperial grandeur. From the palaces of the Habsburgs to the expressionist art museums, Vienna never ceased to amaze us. Our visits to the Habsburg winter and summer palaces gave a new context to everything that I had learned during Modern European history last year. The food here was also incredible. We tried every available variety of Schnitzel and Wurst that we could find. The city also contained some of the most premier art museums of the world, such as the Leopoldsmuseum, which contained some of the most famous art of the turn of the century. My favorite experience from Vienna was simply walking around in our free time and exploring the many flower-filled gardens and cafes, some of which are former haunts of great philosophers and musicians.

The Habsburg Summer Palace, Schloss Schoenbrunn

The Return Home

We awoke before sunrise in order to arrive on time for our flight to Dusseldorf. Once underway from Dusseldorf to New York, we struggled to remain awake as we transitioned back into eastern time. After a layover in New York, we made it back to Nashville. though I had had much fun overseas, I had missed almost every aspect of home, except, of course, the humidity. Reflecting back on my time, I came to realize how lucky I had been to enjoy such an incredible experience. I know that I will always treasure the memories and friendships that I made.

A Viennese street corner