Day 2: School Visit, Abbey Tour...and Beer tasting!

Editor's Note: A lack of WiFi at times, busy schedules, and a desire to see Munich means that the next 3-4 updates are just getting posted now...apologies for the delay.

Today was the highlight of the trip so far.  It was our first fully "aware" day after spending a day in a jet-lag induced fog the day before.  We had to be up and on the bus at 7:30 for the drive to our first stop of the day.  We were heading a little south of Munich to visit a Realschulle...before we get there, a crash course on the German school system...reader be ware, it's quite confusing. 

All students attend the same type of school, primary school, until 4th grade.  After 4th grade the students are split into three separate and distinct tracks. Basically at the end of 4th grade teachers, with some input from parents, determine the student's educational path and ultimately their career path.  The lower or underperforming students are sent to Hauptschule until 9th grade and then they move on to a vocational school of sorts and an apprenticeship in their chosen field until they're 18 when they graduate...their chosen careers will be more manual labor, blue collar jobs.  The advantage is that from early on they receieve specialized training in these areas. The middle of the pack students enter a Realschule, which is a bit more rigorous and the high school work will also be career focused. A large majority of these students will not attend University when they graduate, though some might. These jobs will be more office based, more white collar, though some of them will go into more "advanced" blue collar fields.  The third and final track is the Gymnasium. It is the most academically rigorous and the end goal is University, assuming the student passes their comprehensive exam (Abitur) at the end of their high school years.  There are many more details that could be added, but I'll leave it at the basic description of the Hauptschule (low), Realschule (middle), and Gymnasium (high). It is an interesting setup and one that has advantages and disadvantages, but that's for another time...so...the visit...

The school visit was absolutely fantastic! We began with a roundtable style discussion with some of the teachers.  The discussion was great and for as many differences as there were, the differences were really very minor. Both German and American teachers seemed to have the same problems and concerns that they confronted on a daily basis, which was, in a way, refreshing to hear. After the discussion we were split into groups to go visit classrooms and talk to the students. 

Having done my student teaching in Prague I already had some understanding of how similar students of the same age are around the world. After teaching 8th graders for 4 years in the US, this was even more clear.  The first room my group visisted had about 10 8th graders (the others were doing other activities around the school...this was their last week before Summer break) and we had the chance to just sit and talk about school life and answer questions that we each had.  Toward the end of this first stop my group was invited to a rehersal for a school talent show. A group of students and their music teacher were practicing Strawberry Wine...I must say, they did a really great job! I have a video clip I will try and get uploaded. After the mini-concert we enjoyed some cake one of the students made and then had a 15-20 minute break...along with the rest of the school.

Then it was off to our second visit where my group visited an English class of about 25 students. Many of them spoke very good English and they peppered me and the two other teachers with questions about us, our students, and life back home.  The 40 minute conversation flew by, and again it was really great to talk with other students.  A few of them dressed in traditional Bavarian clothing for their special guests...sadly, I still haven't bought a pair of leiderhosen (spelling?). 

We then moved outside where a group of history students and their teacher had prepared a presentation about a centuries old Celtic temple they had researched and restored on the temple's original site on the school grounds. As a history teacher I was incredibly impressed by the work that was done.  Then they treated us to a short musical performance. The 5th and 6th grade choir sang a traditional Bavarian song, and then 3 8th and 9th graders first sang the German National Anthem and then followed it by an absolutely fantastic singing of our National Anthem.  I have video of that too, but I doubt the sound quality will do justice to hearing it in person.  After that it was time to say our goodbyes to the students and teachers.  There is little doubt in my mind that this stop on our tour will be one of the best...right up there with our next stop to the Weltenburg Abbey and Brewery!

We continued our drive through Bavaria, through a region that is the largest hop growing region in the world.  This was farm country, fields full of corn and hops.  If you didn't know you were in Germany you'd think that without a doubt you were somewhere in Minnesota or Wisconsin. The landscape is almost identical. Eventually we made it to the abbey, which is located right on the side of the Danube river. It was an absolutely gorgeous place, and there's little doubt as to why the monks chose this place to build their abbey. Before our tour and beer tasting it was lunch time. 

I've tried to immerse myself into the Bavarian (German) culture as best I can. One way is by drinking plenty of Dunkel (dark beer) and trying the great food.  So, with that in mind I decided to have stewed suckling pig heart and dumplings for lunch.  Yes, pig heart.  When my plate arrived, not really knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised.  It looked like chunks of beef and smelled fantastic.  My eyes and nose did not lie to my taste buds, because it was great! It taste meaty (beefy, in a way) with a bit of an "irony" taste (duh...being the heart and all...). Ser gut!  Some of the people on the tour I shared it with said it tasted very similar to liver. I also tried a bit of someone's corend beef tongue. The tongue was also great and tasted very similar to...roast beef. With a stomach full of pig heart, beef tongue, and dunkels it was time for a brief tour and then our guided beer tasting.

As you might expect, both were great!  During the tasting and tour we learned that the dunkel from Weltenburg brewery was the oldest dark beer in the world! It was absolutely delicious...so much so that I picked up a 6 pack...hopefully a bottle or three will make it home with me.  Then it was back on the bus for a nap as we made our way home to the hotel for the night.  Day 2 was a success by all accounts, and I'm positive that it will rank among the best days of the trip. We have much more to do, see, and experience and I can't wait!