Our Adventure is Over, Vielen Dank!!

Our journey is over.  It is sad to leave Germany.  We have made many new friends here.  All of the Rotarians and their families and friends  have been such gracious hosts.  We have many wonderful memories of our visit.  This was the trip of a lifetime, truly!  It is time to return home to America to be with our own families and return to our normal lives.  Vielen, vielen dank to Rotary Distrikt 1850 and the Rotary Clubs of Bremerhaven-Nordsee, Wilhelmshaven, Norden, Papenburg, Vechta, and Bremen Buerger Park!   Tschuss! (good-bye)  Bis bald!  (until we meet again)

The Mercedes Benz THE ROCK is AWESOME!

On Monday we visited the Mercedes Benz production facility in Bremen.  We were told the complex has over 10,400 employees.  The first part of the tour we saw robots welding the body parts of the cars together.  The large building had very few people, so one had to wonder where all the employees worked.  Well, we found many of them working on the assembly line.  It was impressive to see the working conditions.  Mercedes makes great efforts to make sure its people do not become injured.  The assembly works change work stations every couple of hours, which helps them to be more interested in their work.

The highlight of our trip to Mercedes Benz was an awesome trip to THE ROCK!  We were given the chance to test drive the new GRK, a rugged four wheel drive vehicle.  There are many special features to this vehicle that allow you to drive on adverse off road conditions.  Check out these pictures!

 Vehicle drives on Extremely Bumpy Road

Driving up and down the Mountain (80% grade)

Bremen, Our Final Station

Bremen is the final place we are visiting during our GSE program.  We will go to Hamburg for the day on Tuesday.  Bremen is a wonderful small city of about 600,000 citizens.  We see fewer cars here because so many people walk, use bicycles, or take the tram to move around town.  It is a clean city.  When you walk down the street and see a red brick path, WATCH OUT!  A bicyclist may be approaching.

 Meet Roland!  He is in the Town Square and Other Places around Bremen

This is the Bremen Symphony.  Ask a Team Member When they are Home

The downtown area has a large pedestrian only district.  Only service vehicles are allowed.  It is a nice place for us to do some shopping on Saturday morning.  In the afternoon we have a guided tour of the historical area.  We saw the Rathaus (town hall) and Dom (cathedral), two of the oldest buildings in the city.

About 80% of the buildings in the city were destroyed during the bombings of WWII.  Some of the buildings that survived were moved to the city center.  Many of the buildings were rebuilt new in the 1960’s but retained their original architectural character.  So the city has been able to retain much of its original ‘feel’.  There are many newer structures, too.   

The weather is unusually warm for this area and much like we experience in Virginia, but with less humidity.  Air conditioning is generally not used here, as people are energy and environmentally aware.

Bicycling is a lot of fun in Bremen.  It is easy to drive a bike into the countryside or thru the city.  There is a delightful drive along the Weser River.  One can see people playing, sunbathing, or otherwise enjoying  the weekend.

Vechta is a Quiet and Charming Community

Last week we visited a rural community called Vechta.  Vechta is a county between Oldenburg and Osnabruck along the primary autobahn that connects Southern Germany to Bremen and Hamburg. The area has a quiet charm and a lovely town also called Vechta.

Enjoying a piece of home at Bocklage's home near Vechta

GSE Team Tours Vechta

On Tuesday May 31 we visited the Grimme Farm Machinery Factory.  Christine Grimme, a leader in the firm and a Rotarian, gave us the tour.  It was a rainy day, so it was good to be indoors.  Grimme is a family owned business that manufactures different farm equipment.  The most important is a potato harvester.  We walked the assembly, saw the automated warehouse, and visited the offices.  The firm uses modern business practices for logistics management, communications and other techniques to be competitive.  We are impressed by the many small/midsized family owned German businesses that are located in small towns and primarily export their goods to other countries.

We also visited the Andreaswerks organization that has a mission similar to Goodwill Industries back home.  We witnessed people with disabilities being trained to do work locally in Vechta.  The program is very impressive.  Some of the trainees live nearby in housing especially for them.  Other trainees live with their families.  Later in the week we ate lunch at a restaurant that employed some of the graduates of the program.  The restaurant is operated by Andreaswerk.  In the same building there were a gift shop and a picture framing business, all having handicapped workers.

Most of the places we have visited in Northern Germany are lowlands.  We heard stories of how some of the land was first settled.  Peat bogs or moors were and are common.  The peat was used for home construction and for fuel, like firewood.  Eventually, canals were built to drain the wetland and create a means for transportation.  The canals are still evident today, especially near coastal areas, along with dykes to keep the water from the sea out.

Well, we had a fun day visiting a moor.  There were exhibits telling us about the nature in a typical moor.  The many plants and animals cannot survive in a moor, but special species can.  It was a beautiful place to enjoy.  We had fun watching Jaime climb across the water on a rope bridge.  Ken Frantz watch out!

Jaime Becomes Adventuresome Cross the Water

On Thursday we witnessed the Ascension Day procession in the town of Vechta.  The procession was a religious service to commemorate Christ leaving earth after the resurrection.

One of the highlights for our visit to Vechta was our dinner at the Vechta museum.  The Vechta Rotary Club joined us to celebrate our visit to Vechta.  After a presentation by the museum curator, we had a small meal, a little wine, and lots of singing.  Thank you to Robert Eilers for leading the Rotarians, family members, and GSE team in song!  Everyone had a great time singing German and American folk songs from the 1960’s. 

 Robert (right) and Friend Play Guitar

We All Sing at our Vechta Farewell Social

Marion Wendt, GSE Team from Germany, Enjoys the Vechta Social, too!

Our Stay in Papenburg.

Post composed by Katie Kinsey

For the past few days we were in the town of Papenburg.  During our stay with some amazing families, we were able to tour the Meyer Ship Yard where they construct cruise ships for companies such as Disney, Celebrity and Norwegen Cruise Lines.

 During our tour of the ship yard, we were able to see a ship for Carnival being constructed.  The ship was launched into the river yesterday morning at 7:30 a.m.  The ship will then have to travel down the narrow river Ems to the North Sea.

Here is a foto of the passage the ship must make out to the North Sea.  I think for many Captains this looks pretty tricky!  There are about 3 meters of space on each side of the ship as it comes out of the channel in Papenburg.  Also, the river is very shallow for the ship, so they actually do not put all of the furniture and accessories on the ship until it reaches the city of Norden.  If they put everything on at the ship yard, it would run aground!!

Our host families were amazing in Papenburg and also took us on a bike tour to the city of Bourtange in the Netherlands.  Our team and some of our hosts set out on a bike tour at 7:00 am this past Saturday and rode 25 kilometers to the fortress.  The ride was beautiful and the fortress city of Bourtange was very quaint.

We had an amazing guide for our tour at the fortress and she made sure that everything we learned about the city was "clear!".  She was very sweet and had spent an entire afternoon creating an English tour for our group.

I am happy to say that no one was left behind, and we all completed the 25 kilometers back to Papenburg that afternoon.  We had a surprise picnic/wine and cheese tasting on the way back as well!  We really are getting spoiled with food here in Germany!

Thank you to our hosts in Papenburg for such great times!!  Vielen Danke!

The Street Light People of Berlin

During our visit to Berlin a great deal was made of the Ampel Maennchen.  These are the cartoon-like characters found in the pedestrian traffic signals throughout eastern Berlin.  'Ampel Maennchen' means 'traffic light man' in English.  The red signal has a man facing you with his hands raised vertically at his side. 

The green signal shows a side view of the man walking.  The unique style has made the Ampel Maennchen famous.  Along with the Berlin Teddy Bear, you can also find stuffed Ampel Maennchen in souvenir shops around the city.  There is also Ampel Maennchen candy, similar to gummy bears.  They come in red and green colors in a bag.  We would show you a picture, but we already ate all of our candy.

Green Light on the Friedrichstrasse

Posted by Stephen

Red Light near the Brandenburg Gate

A Fabulous Trip to Berlin!

Posted by Jaime Belitz

At 5 a.m. on Monday, May 23 we packed up the van and started our journey to Berlin.  It was a 5 hour drive from Papenburg, a town we arrived in just one day earlier.  The drive went quickly, thanks to our fearless driver Herman Nehe (and the fact that we all slept most of the way).

We arrived in Berlin around 10 a.m. and, after checking into our hotel, went directly to Checkpoint Charlie.  We took time to visit the museum and we were all moved by the countless stories of perseverance and survival.  At times, the stories seemed so unbelievable – how could this have happened in our lifetime?

After a fantastic lunch at Borchardts, we relaxed on a scenic and informative boat tour through the city.  We enjoyed great views and learned so much about Berlin.  There is so much history in Berlin.  The weather was perfect for a boat tour – sunny with a breeze.  We are all mesmerized by the beautiful gardens throughout the entire country.

We wrapped up our first day in Berlin with dinner at an authentic German pub.  Herman’s two sons, who are currently living in Berlin, accompanied us to Max und Moritz.  While Katie and Stephen were adventurous in their entrée selections, I was too hungry to take any chances and I ordered a delicious fish (Plaice).  It was a perfect evening to a long and exciting day in Berlin.

Tuesday, May 24: we got to sleep in!!  And then, we were off….our first stop of the day was to Neues Museum, an architectural wonder and all around beautiful museum.  The exhibit was fascinating as we traveled through Egyptian times, Roman times and more.  We only had an hour and a half to spend in the museum, but we could have easily spent all day.

Following a quick lunch, we headed to the Reichstag, a historical edifice constructed to house the German parliament.  Our hosts worked their magic and arranged for a private tour of the Reichstag including a visit into the dome.  Once it the dome, we marveled at the amazing views of Berlin.  Of course, we walked to the top of the dome, rested, and then headed back down.  We were on a tight schedule to make it to the theatre that evening.

We went to the largest theatre stage in the world at the FriedrichstadtPalast Berlin.  Yma was the name of the show we saw and it was enthralling.  We were in awe..the show was so much fun to watch.  There was dancing, acrobatics, trampolines, singing, swimming, break dancing and more.  SO MUCH FUN!  It was a great way to spend our last evening in Berlin.

The next morning we packed up the van, again, and headed home – but with a detour through Potsdam.  While in Potsdam, we visited two palaces - Sans Soucci and Cecilienhof.  The architectural details were amazing and the palace grounds were breathtaking.  We had a lovely lunch in the courtyard at Cecilienhof and a private tour of the palace.  Once again, our hosts arranged a wonderful day for us.

We arrived back in Papenburg around 8 p.m. and completed our Berlin trip with a small social at Herman’s house before returning to our host families.  Thank you for a fabulous trip to Berlin!!

A Farewell to Norden and Welcome to Papenburg

Last Saturday was our final evening in Norden.  My host family, Robert and Gaby Koesters, decide to take me to the Reichshof for dinner.  Their children, Steffen and Sophie, have other plans with friends.  They are teenagers.

We ride bicycles from their home on the edge of town to the restaurant near the center of town.  We ride on back streets to avoid the main street through town.  It’s a pleasant ride.  The GSE Team has talked about how often we have seen people on bicycles on our trip.  It is common in Northern Germany because the land is relatively flat, the weather is pleasant, and most roads easily accommodate the cyclists.  Bicycling is less expensive than driving a car.

The Reichshof is an older restaurant that was first opened during imperial Germany (over 100 years ago), hence the name that may seem out of date today.  The furnishings are very plush.  The walls and ceiling are all paneled in sumptuous woods.  The rooms are relatively full, but we are able to find a nice table. 

The evening is very special.  We each start with a glass of sparkling wine.  This seems to be done often here in Lower Saxony.  We order dinner.  I order a big salad with lots of vegetables.  We also share a bottle of merlot wine with the meal.  The dinner and conversation are very pleasant.  Robert and Gaby have become special people for me this past week.  I have felt so welcome in their home. 

After dinner we walk next door to a lounge that is a part of the restaurant.  We have an after dinner drink to celebrate.  I try something called Mozart Gold.  It turns out to be a cream liquor with a chocolate flavor.  The conversation continues.  Afterward, we return home on our bicycles.  The bics each have a headlight, so that we can navigate in the night.  There is a chill in the air as we make our journey back home.

Norden is a quiet town.  There is real community here.  I have found this out during my conversations with Gaby.  It seems to be an ideal place to raise children.  It feels safe here.

The Koester Family, Sophia, Robert, Gaby, and Steffen

The next morning the GSE Team heads to Papenburg.  We miss our new friends from Norden and meet our new hosts.  We all have lunch at a local restaurant that is also the oldest building in the city.  There are displays showing the history.  Robert, who is originally from Papenburg, explains to me what we see. 

After lunch, we settle with our new host families.  I am staying with Guido and Margaret Lueppens.  They have two teenage girls.  This family is very nice, too.

In the evening there is a welcome reception for us at a dining room with an outdoor area next to a small lake.  This facility is part of a local school similar to a community college.  It is a beautiful location.  The air is a bit chilly, but we enjoy meeting the other families who will now host us as we have a grilled dinner, the Papenburg way.  Before dinner the adults enjoy a toast with sparkling wine.  The children are in row boats on the lake.  Another fine evening…

Just as we start to get to know our new hosts, we will be whisked away to Berlin for three days!  The next morning we have to wake up early to depart Papenburg, near the Dutch border, at 5:00AM.

Vielen dank to all the Rotarians and families in Norden for giving us an incredible experience!

Posted by Stephen Beer

A Visit to the Conerus-Schule in Norden

Posted by Katie Kinsey

On May 20, I was given the opportunity to visit the Conerus-Schule, a vocational-type school in Norden, Germany.  I was toured around the school by the “Oberstudiendirektor” (Headmaster), Roger Scheweling.  Mr. Scheweling is also a member of the Norden Rotary Club.  An English teacher by the name of Claudia Walker accompanied us on our tour as an interpreter.  

During my tour at the Conerus-Schule, I was able to learn a lot about Germany’s different types of high schools and vocational schools.  Germany has three different types of high schools that students may attend based on their primary school performance, parental advising and their preferences.  The school I visited today is where students who want to go into a specific trade attend.  

The school moto is “Doon, deit, lehren”.  This roughly translates to “Learn by doing.”  Students who attend the Conerus-Schule are in their 10th, 11th, or 12th year of school.  Students can decide to be in an apprenticeship-styled program, with classes three days a week, or they can choose to study for their advanced certificate in order to attend university in the future.  

Students at Conerus are able to study trades such as cosmetology, HVAC, welding, computer repair, culinary arts, auto mechanics, tourism, economics, and elder care.  The school receives many donations and assistance from local companies such as Volkswagen (VW).  For example, the auto mechanics garage has a brand new VW Polo to practice on that was donated to the school.  VW is a major industry in the city of Norden and they take many of the top performing auto mechanic students each year to study in their apprentice school.  

I was very impressed by the level of maturity and engagement of the students I observed, especially the students using power tools such as welding instruments and wood saws.  I know that many of us would be very nervous to give high school students scissors when we are not able to observe them all at one time, let alone a saw!  The students were polite and they even let me take pictures.

The culinary arts classes were the best!  The hallways smelled amazing from the freshly baked pastries and homemade soups.     

Moin! Let’s Go to Langeoog Today!

This week we have been in the coastal area of East Frisia.  Earlier in the week the team visited the popular island of Norderney, which is accessible by car ferry.  Today, my host, Robert Koesters, invites me to join him to visit with his team from work the island of Langeoog.  This island, as all the other barrier islands, except Norderney, is accessed by ferry and no motorized vehicles are allowed on the island.  The island is quiet and has 2000 year-round residents.

We stop off at Robert’s office to pick up two of his people.  They all work for Oldenburgische Landsbank.   Robert manages the fourteen bank branches in East Frisia.  They are planning a social for all the area branch employees in June.  We drive to the ferry terminal and meet third employee there.

During the day I have a chance to talk a little bit with Insa, the accounting manager, Nina, the marketing manager, and Carina, the human resources manager.  They all get along very well and seem to enjoy the trip.  Carina lives in a farm house over 300 years old and takes care of her stable with seven horses in her spare time.  One horse is hers, the others belong to friends who keep them at Carina’s stable.  We will meet the branch manager of the island office, Dieter, on the ferry.

 Langeoog Village with Lighthouse in the Distance

Thatched Roof House on the Edge of Town

The ferry takes 45 minutes to reach Langeoog.  Travel is very slow because of the low tide.  When we reach the island, we transfer to a train that takes us to town, a short walk to the beach.  There are several shops and restaurants in the town.  We walk through, visit the branch office, and go up through the dunes, pass the lighthouse, and continue toward the beach. 

No Motorized Vehicles Allowed, on Horses and Electric Utility Vehicles

Most of the island is protected and left natural.  The dunes are very wide and long and protect the village behind it.  We reach the beach.  It is also very wide.  The slope of the beach is very slow.  It is low tide and there is also a huge sandbar out in the water.  Most of the beach will be covered by the North Sea later in the day.  There are over 100 of the covered beach chairs all over the beach.  They add color to the beach.  People are sunbathing and socializing.  One can easily imagine how packed this area must be on a summer day.  The population swells to 11,000 in high season.

 The Robert's Team and I Stop for a Picture

 The Beach Chairs are Comfortable and Protect from the Sun

The Dunes

We walk around.  During our journey the team stops to discuss possible activities for the company gathering.  We walk back toward town by a different route and they investigate rain day alternatives.  On the way we visit a cemetery.  We see the grave of Lale Andersen, who sang the famous World War II song ‘Lilli Marleen’.  Dieter tells us that Russian WWII POW’s, who were allowed to stay on the island after hostilities ended, are buried here, too. 

Gravesite of Lale Andersen, German Songstress

We continue and then eat lunch at a restaurant situated near the dunes.  Later we reach the lighthouse and walk to a high point to see the panorama.  We can see the town, the natural areas and mud flats that separate Langeoog from the rest of East Frisia.  Wind turbines slowly churn in the distance.  We finish up with a walk through town, then take the train and the ferry back to the mainland. 

It is an enjoyable day as we see different sea birds, shells, dunes and man’s effort to keep the area unspoiled.  I find out why the barrier islands of East Frisia are one of Germany's best kept secrets.  Most of the tourists are German.  In the summer there are a few Dutch and Brits.  Today I was one of the few lucky Americans to ever visit this quiet, beautiful place.  Vielen Dank, Robert & company!

Posted by Stephen

What's New in Norden....

We arrived in Norden, Germany Tuesday, May 17. Our visit began with a walking city tour. Norden is a very small but lovely town. In the evening, we visited the Franz Radziwill exhibit at the Kunsthalle in Embden.

On Wednesday, we took a ferry over to an island called Norderney. We enjoyed a very long walk (approx 5 miles) on the beach. The weather was very good to us!

Our presentation at the Rotary club meeting went very well. I think we are all getting more and more comfortable presenting in German. Since we were the only item on the agenda we had a lot of time to speak and get to know many members of the Rotary Club of Norden.

Yesterday, was our vocational day, and I spent some time at SKN, a printing company owned by Christian Basse, Rotarian. I was also able to visit a local hospital. I met with the "Chief Financial Officer," Thomas Hippen. He patiently worked through a lot of useful information in English and I enjoyed hearing about how their hospital operates. I learned a lot from this visit. While they do not solicit gifts for the hospital, they have received donations in the past for Children's Services among other things. He told me one instance where there was a uninsured child visiting from another country and he broke his arm. A generous donation was made so that he could be treated without charge. Often times, these donations are placed in the papers for marketing purposes for the hospital.

And speaking of being placed in the papers.... The GSE Team made the local newspaper for the second time. For the vocational day yesterday, Jaime and Stephen worked with Christian Basse at SKN on an article that appeared in today's newspaper about our team. The article was in both English and German and talked about our stay in Germany thus far and some similarities and differences that we have noticed.

Yesterday was Katie's Birthday and we are all thankful to those that made her birthday celebration possible, especially Christian Basse and his team of assistants! We had a little celebration at the SKN office after our vocational visits and had strawberry cake. This cake seems to be popular in Germany. Stephen and the team went out for an Italian dinner and Katie was able to exercise her Spanish with the server. Needless to say, that was an interesting experience. After dinner, the girls had a night out with Charlotte Basse. A special thanks to Charlotte for taking us out. Katie, hope you had a special day!

For me, our time in Norden seems to be flying by. I cannot believe it's already our last day in Norden. Tonight, my host family is having a cookout at the house to celebrate our last night together. My host family (Kerstin, Henning Niemann and son, Johannes, 13) has been so wonderful to me! I will miss them very much!!

Posted by: Alexandra Yates

We Have Arrived In Norden! Vielen Dank und Bis Bald Willhelmshaven!

We had a wonderful time in Willhelmshaven.  Alex and I stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Nietiedt, who own Firmengruppe Nietiedt, an international scaffolding and painting company.  I was amazed by some of their work.  Marble walls was one of my favorites.  Thank you much to the Nietiedt family.

While in Willhelmshaven we visited the Marine Museum and entered a submarine that was once used in battle, walked the beach, shopped, visited the container terminal, and had an exclusive tour of the new coal power plant that is under construction.  Germans are VERY environmentally conscious and plan to shut down all nuclear power within the next 10 years.  You see many many windmills and solar panels as you drive down the road. This is their form of electricity and heating.  Below you will see a picture of us at the power plant. 







  



Also during our stay we gave a short presentation at the District Conference.  See our picture below.

We have had a great time thus far.  The program is tiring and extremely fast paced.  Even though we are seeing the history of the town we are still working......I PROMISE:)  I personally have had wonderful vocational days in private PT practices.  Even though physical therapy is practiced the same here in Germany it has been wonderful to make new contacts internationally.

Lastly, we girls had to take some time for ourselves, the first since we have arrived, and had a blast:)  

We are now in Norden and started our trip with a tour of the city.  It's beautiful!!  Followed by a trip to Kunsthalle (fine arts museum).  Tomorrow we will venture out to the island of Norderney.  Very Exciting!!!
Tschuss!  Angie

Today is Effe's Birthday!

One of the great things about GSE is that you stay in a Rotarian family’s home.  This morning we are all waking up to celebrate Effe’s birthday.  Effe (pronounce EEfee) is three years old today.  She is a darling little girl who is always smiling. 

Effe sits next to the birthday candles

Andreas (her Dad) and Rieke (her Mom), mostly Rieke, have set up a nice traditional German birthday for her.  Effe is not allowed to leave her room until everyone else is ready.  Her older siblings, Luise, Karl, and Helene walk hand-in-hand with Effe and bring her downstairs to the dining table, where her presents, birthday breakfast muffins with little candies, and decorations were set up the night before by Rieke.  Candles are set up on a wooden train, which is used for birthdays.    There are about seven candles.  It is traditional to have the birthday candles in a wooden base. I am told that it is typical to have the birthday celebration in the morning.   Mom is ready with the movie camera and Dad watches intently.  The children joyfully enter the kitchen eating area together.  Effe sits in the appointed place next to the candles.  It is fun to watch. 

Momma Rieke directs Effe to open her first present

Mom hands Effe her first present.  It takes her a few minutes to open.  A doll!  The children have a discussion on what to name the doll.  Marie is the chosen name for now.  It changes later on and this decision process may take a few days.  One at a time, everyone is given a present to hand to Effe.  After opening all of her presents, Effe, with help from her family, blows out all the candles.  Then breakfast is served.  We have coffee, juice, rolls with butter and cold cuts of meat.  We finish off with a birthday muffin.

 Papa Andreas talks to Effe as she opens her present

Effe opens her first present while brother Karl takes picture

Rieke normally walks Luise  and Karl to school.  Today it is raining., As they walk outside, Mom laughingly starts running to the minivan and the children follow.  They disappear.  Dad looks after Lene and Effe.  They are staying home today from Kindergarten.  Their Kindergarten is also nearby.  I saw it when Andreas and I took them their yesterday.

It has been a wonderful visit to Wilhelmshaven.  The Wagner family is very close.  They have all been warm to me.  Writing this, I realize how much I will miss them.  It is time to pack and move on to Norden, which will be our third visit along the North Sea coast.

Wilhelmshaven ist Gut!

We have moved to Wilhelmshaven and are settled in with our new hosts.  Katie and I are staying with the Leffers.  They have been so welcoming and gracious.  We are very comfortable here.

Our first whole day here was a vocational day.  I visited e^.on Power Plant here in Wilhelmshaven.  I met with Ms. Beate Wunderwaldt.  She was a great resource to discuss communications and public relations.  We had a great conversation and shared many work experiences with each other. 

Three things really stood out to me about the German workplace.  The first is the number of work hours that Germans are required to work.  My experiences have been that Germans are required to work 35 – 37 hours per week.  While that is the requirement, it is clear that most professionals work well over that 37 hours per week.

The second difference I noted was that number of vacation days German employees receive.  They receive 6 weeks of vacation per year.  WOW – 6 WEEKS!!!

Finally, work attire is slightly different.  It is perfectly acceptable for professionals to wear jeans to work.  Of course, the jeans are very chic.  I look forward to sharing these observations with my colleagues at work.  J

Even with these differences, I have realized that Germans and Americans are similar in many ways and both share a strong work ethic.

Two days later we visited the marine museum in Wilhelmshaven.  It was a very nice museum and we really enjoyed touring the U-boat and the German destroyer.  The museum was full of historical facts and I found the visit to be very interesting.

Small U-boat at German Naval Museum, Wilhelmshaven

Following the marine museum, we went to the beach.   While it was much too cold and windy to swim, we had lots of fun with our hosts walking around the boardwalk area and taking lots of pictures.

Members and Spouses of RC Wilhelmshaven and GSE Team Enjoy the Strand Together

We completed our day with a visit to 2 castles.  The first was a large castle surrounded by a moat.  The second was a smaller castle were an art exhibit is currently taking place. 

Gödens Palace

Now we are looking forward to a relaxing evening at home with our hosts.  Tomorrow is our last full day in Wilhelmshaven and we will prepare for our transfer to Norden on Tuesday.

We are Now in Wilhelmshaven!

We have arrived on Thursday to Wilhelmshaven.  We settle quickly at our host families and are wisked away to a dinner and reception at a local hotel.  We have a nice dinner and exchange conversation, trying to get to know each other better. 

We are all staying in Rotarians’ homes in the same neighborhood.  Many of the homes are 100 years old and some are about 50 years old.  The older homes remind me of those in Richmond’s Fan District. 

My host family are the Wagners.  Andreas is a Rotarian and is currently running for Uberbuergermeister  (Lord Mayor) of Bremerhaven.  Rieke stays at home with their four darling young children, Luise, Karl, Helene and Effe.  Much of my time the first day or so is spent with Rieke and the children.  Rieke explains that most of their friends live in or near this charming neighborhood.  It’s easy to walk around here.  The more and more I converse with the Germans, the more I find they are very much like us.  Andreas has a wonderful sense of humor.  I am certain he is doing a fine job campaigning for mayor.  His background is finance and accounting and someone else tells me his knowledge is needed in this city.  City budgets are tight here, as at home.  His smile and joviality are infectious.  I am going to enjoy staying here a lot.

Wagner Home in Wilhelmshaven

Posted by Stephen

Our First Presentation to Rotary

Thursday, our last day in Bremerhaven, is also the day we make our first presentation to a Rotary club.  The Rotary Club of Bremerhaven – Nordsee meets at the Atlantic Sail City Hotel.  The edifice is shaped almost like a modern sailing ship.  First, we all are shown to the observation deck at the top of this tall building.  We enjoyed impressive views for a while, then adjourn to prepare for the Rotary meeting.

The club provides to us a projector, but no laptop.  In Germany the projector is called a ‘beamer’.  Many Germans do not know what we call a ‘beamer’ or ‘beemer’ at home.   Fortunately, Angie has brought her laptop upstairs and starts to set up with Katie.  Then they realize that we need a converter with adaptor and Stephen has to go back to the car to retrieve his.  We are finally ready!

  GSE Team Ready to Present at RC of Bremerhaven-Nordsee

Bell of the RC of Bremerhaven-Nordsee

Rotary meetings in Germany are conducted differently than in Virginia.  There is no pledge of allegiance, no invocation and no happy dollars.  This Rotary club is an all male club.  Today they have invited spouses, so there is a good mix of men and women.  We are given plenty of time to make our presentation ‘auf Deutsch’ (in German).  Stephen is very proud of his team.  The presentation goes well.  Our hosts are very gracious and applaud each of our efforts.   The German language has many long and hard to pronounce words.  The audience has many questions at the end.

After the meeting it is time to say ‘auf wiedersehen’ and ‘tschuss’.  The goodbyes are emotional, as we all will miss our new friends.  They have been so generous and warm to us!  Vielen Dank!  But now, we are traveling to Wilhelmshaven and meeting our new host families and more new friends!

Posted by Stephen

A Pre-mature Visit with the Undertaker

Today is Thursday, our final day near Bremerhaven.  Evelyn, one of my hosts, takes me to see her place of work.  Evelyn is an undertaker.  Traditionally in Germany, funerals are part of a cabinetmaker’s business.  In days past these skilled woodworkers also produced coffins.  The two businesses are still together today.  Evelyn’s office is next to the showroom.  There are displays for kitchen and bath cabinet doors, interior doors, and exterior doors and windows.  There is inventory ready to go.  The composite PVC and wooden doors have impressive craftsmanship.  At my host family and other Rotarian’s home I have noted the quality of workmanship.  Miters are perfect at doorways and windows.  Windows open and close easily and tightly.  Energy costs are very high, so windows now have triple pane glass.  All this is impressive to me, as I formerly owned and operated a custom picture framing business that required exacting standards of workmanship.  This business apparently purchases its caskets from another manufacturer for resale.  Thank you Evelyn for sharing …

Rotarian Hans-Guenther and Evelyn Gellersen, My Host Family

Posted by Stephen