We recently heard from Barbara, a Long Term volunteer who just arrived to Germany this January.  She has a great blog from her trip so far including delicious recipes and tales of her volunteer experience so far.  We included a couple entries here, as well as the link to the rest of her blog…Enjoy!

“Last Saturday we drove to Bernauer for some ‘richtiges Einkaufen’ (proper shopping) at the E-Center (Can you guess what the E stands for?). Our main goal was groceries and SIM cards, which we completed with ease.  However, with several hours of shopping, 2 hours walking the dog, and nothing but a traditional Deutschefruehstuck (German Breakfast, which consists of rolls, butter, cheese, jam, and coffee), poor Lex and I were exceptionally hungry by 6:00pm, when we got back to Werneuchen.

Though I am fairly certain these recipes are, in fact, truly delicious, I cannot be sure how tainted my perception was by my hunger that night. )
Guten Appetite!

Salatesosse (Salad dressing)
2-3 spoonfuls of fragrant Olive Oil
2-3 spoonfuls of lightly reduce Balsamic Vinegar (this vinegar should be distilled from grape, apple, and pear juice, or similar fruits)
1 spoonful of Clover Honey
Salt, Pepper, Tuscan spice blend, and Middle Eastern spice blend

Whisk all of these ingredients together in a salad bowl. Toss with salad greens to coat.

Kaese-Kartoffeln (Cheese Potatoes)
1 kg small/baby golden potatos, boiled
100-150g shredded Swiss cheese
Salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F (C).
Quarter the potatos and place in a heavy casserol dish. Drizzel olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat.
Sprinkle the Swiss cheese evenly over the potatos.
Place in the middle of the preheated oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the edges have started to turn brown.

UP/ICJA Quest: Host-Family, The First Days.

On January 27th our host family picked us up. We enjoyed a nice meal at their favorite Indian restaurant (which was DELICIOUS! I had the Chicken Tandoori and Lex had Snapper in red sauce), and then to their favorite Cafe for an after lunch espresso (in my experience this is very typically German after enjoying a large meal). It was wonderful to be able to speak German freely (during the Orientation Camp we were asked to speak English as not everyone could speak German), and I was very proud of Lex for practicing his German and enthusiastically participating in our conversations.

The Behms (our host family) drove us around Berlin center, pointing out important landmarks and sharing some of their own personal stories growing up in Eastern Germany/Eastern Berlin and living through the imposition and destruction of the Berliner Mauer (Berlin Wall). Since both are artists (Our Host-Vatter (Host Father) is a percussionist (specialties are set/trap) and Host-Mutter (Host Mother) is a dancer (performer) and dance instructor) and both grew up in artistic families, their stories tended to focus on performance art and the use of performance art in political demonstrations. It’s absolutely fascinating and I can’t wait to learn more!”

Want to hear more about Barbara and Lex’s Long term Quest?

http://postgradexplorations.blogspot.com/

Interested in Long Term Quests to Germany? Check out our website for information about how YOU can travel and enjoy the gift of volunteering:

http://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-abroad/long-term

There is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm hanging in the air during this time of year in Holland, especially amongst children. Mid-November usually marks the beginning of a celebration we Dutch call Sinterklaas or St. Nicholas. And Sinterklaas has arrived in Holland again!

By Flickr user van der Broek

It is said that Sinterklaas, along with his Zwarte Pieten, or Black Peters, helpers keep record of children’s behavior throughout the year in his book. He comes to Holland to give all the good children presents, and the bad children get chased by a Black Peter with a stick!

By Flickr user Pingu1963- very busy!

By Flickr user juffrouwjo

To cover the simultaneous visits of Sinterklaas across the country which children often find suspicious, children are told that he gets help from hulp-Sinterklazen, which means “Help St. Nicolases,” who are dressed just like him, because of course he cannot be in two places at the same time.

These are words that millions of partygoers wait an entire year to hear. Finally, Oktoberfest has begun.

From the third weekend in September to the beginning of October the people of Theresienwiese, Munich celebrate the festival of Oktoberfest. In 1810, the people of Bavaria celebrated in a grand matter with horse races and feasts to toast the nuptials of the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig. The reception was so popular that the people began to repeat the event year after year creating the festival that occurs today. Beginning with the Brewer’s Parade, the participants of this festival follow “The Lord Mayor” through the city center from Sonnenstrasse to the meadow in which the festival is held at Thereisienwiesse. Fortunately, for people who also have difficulty with pronunciation the meadow also holds the nickname “d’Wiesn,” which is pronounced “dee-veezen” in German.

After “The Lord Mayor” taps the first barrel of beer in the opening ceremony over 6.5 million liters of beer are consumed. To make things easy for those who have already had a few steins, only one type of beer is sold throughout all of Oktoberfest appropriately named ‘Oktoberfest-Bier’. To be served you must be seated inside one of the many large tents; drinks can only be paid for using special tokens also sold in the tents. Along with large amounts of beer consumed, Oktoberfest also goes through 500,000 chickens, 104 oxen, and more than 50,000 pork knuckle servings throughout the event.

For those interested in something other than beer consumption there are many other things to see at the festival. From roller coasters to flea circuses, magicians, and live music there is something for the whole family. Employing more than 10,000 people, this is no small event. Oktoberfest has its own police force, child care center, post office, sewage system, and U-Bahn terminal.

Although the festival is almost over this year, for those hoping to experience Oktoberfest next year count on planning months in advance as many hotels book up very quickly. And for those of you with children, Tuesday is family day and there are reduced prices on all sideshows and rides.

And finally, to all of the merry festivalgoers currently at Oktoberfest, “Prost!” or “Cheers!”

Taken by Flickr user Haretz

This year, the race was made up of 10 flat stages, seven mountain stages, one medium stage, two individual time-trials, and one team time-trial stage.
The most famous, if not challenging, bicycle race in France is also exciting for television viewers who get to see stunning French landscape as the cyclists pass by. TV announcers often discuss cultural aspects of the regions while commenting on the race.

Each year, people all over the world follow the results of the Tour de France and try to guess who is going to win the legendary maillot jaune, which is given to the cyclist with the best finishing time. But, the one who is wearing this famous yellow jersey is not necessarily the one who wins the race of the day. Although the yellow jersey is very important, and denotes the overall winner, it is not the only jersey you can win in the Tour de France. Cyclists also race for the maillot vert (green jersey), the maillot a poids (red polka dot jersey), and the maillot blanc (white jersey). The green jersey is given to the cyclist with the highest number of sprint points which are, depending on the stage, given to the first ten to twenty-five riders that finish. The red polka dot jersey is for the best climber, or “King of the Mountains,” which is the first person to summit designated hills and mountains. The white jersey is for best youth cyclist, classified as under 25 years of age. There are also special jerseys such as the yellow bib for the team ranking, and a red bib for the most combatant rider which is decided by a jury.

Taken by Flickr user Garmin

All the cyclists dream of winning at least one stage but there is one stage that stands out among the rest as boasting eternal glory: the final stage! This year, Mark Cavendish was first to summit the Champs Elysses. The first one arrive at the Champs Elysees was Mark Cavendish. Cavendish won five stages this year, which has not been seen since Lance Armstrong in 2004!

Congratulations to all the brave cyclists! We’ll see you next year!

Each year, during the first weekend of July, the North of France celebrates the Festival of the Giants.

Picture taken by chaton144, Flickr

Most of the Northern cities have a patron giant to protect them. Today, there are more than 300 giants representing the cities of the region. In 2005, UNESCO added the festival to the World Heritage List. These giants are not simple statues; they are moving giants! They are made of wood and people carry them around during the festival. The giants measure between six and eight and half meters in length (20 to 25 ft).They are really heavy and are carried by six men who hide under the giants’ clothes. However, there are also smaller giants which are about two and a half to three meters high (8 or 9 ft) and are carried by a single person. Single carriers bring their giants to life by moving and turning them as they parade through town.

Picture taken by chaton144, Flickr

Binbin, the giant of my hometown, had a special parade last year for his 200th “birthday.” You may think that 200 years is old for a giant. Prepare yourself to be surprised! Binbin is the youngest of the Gayant family, the most famous family of giants. These giants hail from the city of Douai and Mr Gayant is more than 500 years old! The members of the family are Gayant, his wife Marie Cagenon, and their children: Jacquot, Fillon and Binbin. According to legend, the young knight Gayant saved the city of Douai from invasion by the Normands in the 9th century. The inhabitants of Douai made a statue in his honor and created a festival to thank him; however, the church banned the festival claiming it was idolatry. Nevertheless, in1530 the festival was revived and the city of Douai continues to celebrate it to this day. Nearby cities created their own versions of this popular festival by later “adopting” Gayant’s children or creating their own giant from medieval fictional characters.

Picture taken by costata, Flickr

Now, each year, during the last weekend of June or the first weekend of July, cities across Northern France and parts of Belgium celebrate the Festival of the Giants. Each celebration features outdoor music, a parade with costumed dancers and lots of candy for the children.
The giants often journey from neighboring cities to take part in the celebration. Lucky festival-goers can sometimes spot weddings between ally giants! It is a great moment that I was always anxious for when I was younger. I advise everybody to go, particularly if you have children!

Tomorrow the grand opening of the 21st summer Tollwood, an international cultural festival, will take place in Munich’s Olympia Park. Tollwood draws over two million visitors each summer, who not only come from Germany, but from all over Europe to enjoy the festival’s medley of culture, cuisine and craftwork.

Similar to Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival, Tollwood lasts for 25 days and showcases theatre productions from around the world, concerts by national and international rock and jazz stars, performance groups and bands from all genres. This year for instance the Scottish singer Amy MacDonald will charm the audience with her delightful songs. Other noteworthy performers include Lauryn Hill, Milow, Foreigner, Al McKay und Solomon Burke, Gentleman & The Far East Band and Simple Minds. The best part is that more than 70 percent of the shows are free!

The festival offers the chance to discover diversity through the arts. By sauntering through the “Market of Ideas” you can admire international handicrafts and taste culinary delights. Your journey will start with a real Weisswurst, or Bavarian veal sausage, followed by a stopover in the Palm Garden, and finishes shortly thereafter in the Buddha Garden. At Tollwood, there is culture for everybody! I especially enjoy spending time with friends soaking up the festival’s colorful atmosphere on balmy summer nights.

You may have noticed from the previous post on Berlin’s Carnival of Cultures that Germany celebrates several cultural events during the month of June. Which festival is better is open to dispute and will depend on who you ask, as Berliners and Münchner have an ongoing rivalry. If you love one city, then you hate the other one. Each city has a distinct identity and culture. One thing is for sure: Berlin is an inspiring multicultural motley with a touch of craziness, while Munich is an inviting “city with heart” that cultivates a strong arts scene! While I’m from Munich, I have to admit that I actually love both of them.

Pictures taken by mr.gears and LuxTonnerre, Flickr.

Every year on Pentecost weekend, the city of Berlin comes alive for the Carnival of Cultures. Over 1.5 million Berliners take to the streets to enjoy this multicultural carnival. The celebration includes a procession of 4500 people representing over 70 countries through both music and dance performances. On the green field at the Blucherplatz, one can see acrobats, wizards, tightrope and stilt walkers as well as percussionists and curiosity marketers. Over 950 bands play on four stages throughout the weekend. The city also puts on a street festival, where people sell typical food and art from all over the world at over 380 booths.

Pictures taken by Artie, Schockwellenreiter and Blogging Dagger, Flickr

After the Berlin wall was torn down in 1989 many artists and people from places all over the world came to the city to live and work here. Then, in 1996, the idea for the first Carnival of Cultures was born. The carnival was created to show visitors and citizens alike, just how cosmopolitan, multicultural and passionate this city really is.

The carnival has become a big family attraction, complete with picnics and child performers. A few years ago, the organizers added a children’s carnival, where kids can demonstrate their talent and artistic skills to festival-goers. It’s a great time to be in Berlin and witness its multiculturalism!

The arroz con leche (rice with milk) is one of the oldest desserts in Spain. Arroz con leche is prepared all over Spain, with several small regional variations, but the basic ingredients are the same: rice, milk, sugar and lemon or orange peel. It is also possible to find this dessert in other Spanish speaking countries, such as Peru or Costa Rica. In other countries, you often find arroz con leche with other flavors added. In the north of Europe you could eat it as a warm meal instead of as a dessert! But the origin of this dessert comes from the Muslim world and was imported into Spain when the Muslims conquered the South of the Iberian Peninsula.

Picture taken by bmoreno2000mx, Flickr

The ingredients of arroz con leche:

• Rice (1 and a 1/3 cup of 250 ml). Use Spanish type rice (short wide grains).
• Milk (1 gallon)
• Sugar (12-13 full soup spoons)
• Salt (1/2 coffee spoon)
• 4 Lemon zest (only the yellow part of the peel, since the white part is bitter)
• 4 Cinnamon sticks

Picture taken by Helechos Helene, Flickr

Directions:
Peel the lemons and place them in the milk, together with the cinnamon sticks for at least 12 hours (e.g. the night before preparing the rice).
Heat the milk over medium heat) together with the lemon zest and cinnamon sticks until it starts boiling (to get the aroma). Remove the lemon zest and cinnamon sticks, and then add the rice. Cook it for 1/2 hour or until it is well done (you need to stir the rice from time to time, checking it so it doesn’t burn). At the end, add the sugar and the salt (and some more lemon if you want to strengthen its flavor). Stir for 3-4 minutes more, and remove it from the heat. Serve it in a large, shallow glass pan and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on it. Let it cool for about one hour, and then put it in the fridge for at least 12 hours, although one day would be even better for the rice to fully absorb the milk.

Picture taken by Xurri, Flickr

Serve the arroz con leche cold. It should be half-liquid, never solid, but you can increase or reduce the amount of milk if you prefer it to be more or less liquid.
And now comes the best part… ENJOY IT!!!

Founded in 1946 by Jean Zay, the Cannes Film Festival is the most popular film festival in the world. The 62nd annual festival, hosted by French Actress Isabelle Huppert, just wrapped up on May 24th.

The red carpet has been rolled out! The Festival de Cannes screened 52 feature films from 32 different countries this year. Among those unveiled in the official selection, including off-competition screenings and the parallel section “Un Certain Regard,” which is aimed at boosting film talent. This year, for the first time in the festival’s history, an animated film was screened at the opening ceremony.

Picture taken by MyCine, Flickr

Well-established Asian and European directors dominated the list of 20 films competing for the prestigious Palme d’Or in the main selection. These films include Quentin Tarantino’s much hyped Inglorious Bastards and Lars Von Trier’s Antichrist. Festival favorites, directors Pedro Almodovar and Ang Lee, also presented films in this year.

French cinema was well represented on its own soil this year, with four French films competing in the official selection. Jacques Audiard entered his prison drama, “A Prophet”, one of the buzz films in this year’s competition. In “Wild Grass” from Alain Resnais, Georges, a character of mysterious and disturbing impulses finds a red wallet that glows seductively, and pursues the owner, Marguerite, a busy dentist who has a pilot’s license and wants nothing to do with him. Gaspard Noe’s “Enter the Void” and Xavier Giannoli’s “A l’origine” rounded out the French entries in the main festival selection.

However, unlike last year, the Palme d’Or was not won by a French film. This year’s winner was Michael Haneke’s “The White Ribbon”. Last year the award when to “The Class” from Laurent Cantet. Nevertheless, Charlotte Gainsbourg, a French actress was named best actress for her leading role in Lars von Trier’s Antichrist, the highly controversial film that depicts physical abuse and the torturing of her husband. Jacques Audiard won the “Grand Prix” and Resnais received the lifetime achievement award. Although the Festival de Cannes is an international film festival, it is France’s biggest and most important film festival of the year. France’s strong showing at the annual festival is also a testament to the influence of French cinema and culture on this global industry.
Picture taken by Haydenfilms, Flickr

Soon, we are going to celebrate Easter. This Holiday is celebrated by all Christians, though each country has very different traditions.

Picture taken by Stitch, Flickr

First, not everyone celebrates Easter at the same time! Indeed, the date is different for Western Christians and Eastern Orthodox congregations. This year, Western Christians are going to celebrate the holiday on April 12 and Eastern Christians on April 19. There are also differences in the way Easter is celebrated. Of course, there are religious celebrations, but also funny secular traditions! The French tradition says that the bells of all the churches go to Rome together with the Easter Bunny the last Thursday before Easter and does not return until Easter morning. Thus, you won’t hear any bell on the Friday or Saturday before Easter! Then, on the eve of Easter Saturday they come back from Rome and bring chocolates with them. On Sunday morning, the parents always hide chocolate eggs in their garden and the children have to hunt for them when they get up! The chocolates have many different forms, but they often come in the shape of bells, rabbits (for the Easter Bunny) and of course eggs! Sometimes the chocolates are hidden so well that you find them later in the year, or never at all. There are two games going on simultaneously: the children have to find the chocolates, and the parents have to remember where how many chocolates they have hidden in order to guide their children.
In France, families traditionally eat eggs or dishes made with eggs for lunch. When I was a child, my brother and I “helped my mother” to prepare lunch or make a cake. We would always attempt to remove the whole egg from its shell through the smallest hole possible, then wash it with caution, paint it and decorate it.

Picture taken by Rumblemumbles, Flickr

But my favorite part was looking for the chocolates! My parents always hide the biggest ones in very difficult places and we often had to climb a tree to find a huge Easter Bunny chocolate, or a giant chocolate egg with a present inside. Finding the biggest ones is not a problem! On the contrary, we never found the smallest ones…I guess the Easter Bunny hides them too well.