October 25
“Remember to bring in a hero or anti-hero to discuss about for next class!” Our professor repeated that at least twice. It didn’t cross my mind until the day before! What are some examples of heroes or anti-heroes? Superman? Batman? Spiderman? Joker? Venom? Someone from the Marvel Universe, that’s what you call them, right? I hardly know anything about them! Come on, think brain, think! Hercules from Disney? I watched the movie once! He’s a great example of what makes up a hero! But do I really want to talk about Hercules? Not really. I call upon some of my online friends to discuss ideas:
“Deadpool.” Is he really a hero or anti-hero?
“Why not like Thanos, Mystero, Doc Oc?” Who?
“Red Hood. Shadow the Hedgehog. Silver from Pokemon. N from Black and White also counts.” Oh! I haven’t heard that name for a long time, Silver and N. Their story that makes them anti-heroes are interesting, so I think I’ll share them for class.
When it was discussion time for our heroes and/or anti-heroes, we were split into breakout rooms depending on genres. Hercules, Silver, and N both fit the Fantasy category. There I met a couple other people and they discussed characters and stories such as Link from the Legend of Zelda, Lord of the Rings, Naruto, Bungo Stray Dogs, and a few other movie and animation references. The discussion was meant to last for perhaps 10-15 minutes, but we ended up taking up time after class has ended! Who knew the fantasy group had a lot of common interests!
Heroes and anti-heroes! These are just a few that were discussed- could you guess them all? They are all game/animation/movie references!
October 26
During the summer months in Germany, you will find a lot of people relaxing with a drink or ice cream. Eis Fontanella Eismanufaktur always seemed to be crowded. Now that it is getting colder, the most people come here for are the warm drinks and dishes. But ice cream is still offered! Spaghetti ice (Spaghettieis) is popular, and you can find it at almost any ice cream parlor or at grocery stores. Just as the name states, it’s ice cream that looks like a “mountain of spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce”! I think that’s too much for me. It’s speculated that spaghetti ice was invented in Mannheim, Germany by Dario Fontanella while other sources say it’s Eliano Rizzardini. Whichever the case is, spaghetti ice was created in Germany!
Served on a plate, bowl, a mug, or small container. It is often accompanied by strawberries, waffles, or other sweet rolls. Image by Spaghetti Eis Co.
October 27
Like many other universities, there isn’t one campus or building that you go to. For example, two of my classes are on opposite ends (the east and west) at the main building, and another at a completely different building. I have one of my longest class at the Faculty of Social Sciences (Fakultät für Sozialwissenschaften) building. The Social Sciences building looks modern as compared to the main building or castle looks old and regal.
October 28
Fresh bread is one of my favorite food to eat. There’s bread at least in one of my meals each week, from French toast, sandwiches, crumb toppings, egg in a basket…bread! Some days during the weekly market, there is a stand that sells loaves of bread. I have been recently enjoying sunflower and pumpkin seed bread, so I decided to buy one loaf of fresh sunflower bread! For less than 5 Euros, not only did I receive one whole load of bread, but three smaller loaves! Perhaps no one has been buying the sunflower bread? These small and extra complimentary items make me feel happy, and I’m sure the seller is too!
One of the student initiative that I found interest in was INFINITY Mannheim. It turns out that students are split into subgroups. At the start, there were kick-offs to introduce plans. The only downside? Everything…everything is in German! I could only keep up so much! Luckily I was able to contact Sarah, who helped communicate what to expect from the initiative. She’s been very helpful, and I’m glad I contacted her! I was placed into MaExchange for ease of communication. MaExchange is one of the newer projects of INFINITY Mannheim aimed to support exchange students who are studying at the university and settling in their homes in Mannheim, quickly, sustainably and cheaply as possible.
If you have plans to study at the University of Mannheim, then you can rent out items like bowls, spoons, forks, knives, all the essentials for your room! MaExchange is in the middle of setting up and bringing the project to life, and hopefully it will be ready for students next semester!
October 29
Uh oh, it looks like there is nothing to highlight for this day!
Bonus! October 30
Will I be giving candy to trick-or-treaters this year? No. What about carving a pumpkin? Not likely. That’s what I thought, but behold- a VISUM Pumpkin Carving event! I can still get into a spooky spirit! After arriving at the designated location, I didn’t really recognize anyone, and as usual, everyone seem to have their own groups. All the talking around me made me feel anxious and out of place, so I focused on carving. It would be nice to have someone to go to these events with!
Do not worry. I did not use candles or anything flammable- my phone is the light source!
Bonus! October 31
What do you think of when it’s October in Germany? Oktoberfest! But this annual festivity will not run this year. A pity! But that doesn’t stop others from celebrating. It’s a spooky month, and I was surprised to see some people dress up for the occasion. Skeletons, devils, vampires, witches, pumpkins, pirates, ghosts…I might as well be Kuchisake-onna (also called the “slit mouthed woman,” “woman with a torn mouth,” or “wide mouth woman.” This is from Japanese mythology) with my mask and coat. I wonder why so many people are at McDonald and Burger King? Must be a special and limited meal!
Today was special, a night at ‘bootshaus’ or Boat House, to de-stress with Carly! We enjoyed refreshing drinks, appetizers, our main course, shared a dessert, and listened to Jacky VOX who was singing live! Bootshaus is a nice place to have lunch or dinner on special occasions with friends, family, and company.
Happy Halloween!
When’s the last time you have seen someone use a white sheet for Halloween?
A Message from the Office of Global Engagement:
The safety and security of Drexel students is a priority for the University. As part of the efforts to support Drexel students that are studying abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Global Engagement has conducted a rigorous review of programming and provided additional support to participating students with customized pre-departure orientations and regular check-ins during the required self-isolation period and the term.
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