We know how to do it

The Neuer Kammerchor of Schiller-Gymnasium, directed by Rotarian Thomas Kammel, has been one of the great joys of my exchange. The niveau of singing is very high and the dedication of the 60+ singers admirable. I feel so privileged to be able to sing in the group. 
Since my arrival in Germany, the choir has attended an international competition in Krakau (winning several second-place awards), sung the European premiere of Martin Palmeri's Oratorio de Navidad, given multiple concerts, filmed a television segement, and, of course, practiced every Saturday morning for three hours or more. 
Perhaps the greatest undertaking of the choir this year occurred two weekends ago, when the Neuer Kammerchor performed a benefit concert--titled 'Night Fever'--for German Rotary Volunteer Doctors, a national organization which raises money for various projects around the world. GRVD has set up and improved hospitals in Ghana and Nepal, among other places, and sent Rotarians with medical degrees to treat and train people in these countries. Our choir sang with a jazz accompaniment group and as backup for several soloists, as well as performing many pieces from our own repertoire. The preparation naturally required many hours of practice time, as well as setup, The songs ranged from Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ to Michael Jackson’s ‘The Way You Make Me Feel;’ from ‘Dry Your Tears, Africa’ from the film Amistad, to Eternal’s ‘I Wanna Be The Only One.’ We performed in four different costumes (including the blue evening gowns acquired for all the females this year) and also incorporated choreography. Professional lighting from a company that had toured internationally with well-known German band Silbermond made us look like rockstars, as did the smoke machine and the applauding audience of over 1100 people.

  

It was an experience I’ll never forget; singing, dancing and performing are some of my greatest joys. What made the evening even more special was the fact that we raised more than 28,000 euros for GRVD, which is 15% of the organization's annual goal. Singing with the third best youth choir in Germany which included many of my friends and my host sister, and raising money for Rotary at the same time, felt like a culmination of my exchange. It was truly a marvelous night.  
To read more about German Rotary Volunteer Doctors, click here.
To see lots more photos from the evening, click here, to hear us sing click here, or to read more about the choir visit the website. 

Marching on

On the first day of March I put on a heavy jacket and headed to the train station. I took the train to the bus station, where I then took a bus to the house of a Rotarian, and was then picked up in a BMW to head into the mountains.
This web of transportation was my way to our Rotary ski weekend, which took place in Oberstdorf, a village in the German Allgäu mountains. This ski area, where Lindsey Vonn began her training, is about five kilometers from Austria and was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. The crisp blue skies, 7°C air, soft snow and brilliant sun promised an unforgettable ski vacation, and as the gondola rose higher our excitement went with it.

We were not disappointed. For my friends from Australia, Colombia and Argentina, snow and skiing were a completely new experience; for me, skiing in these mountains was a dream come true. 

The weather was warm and pleasant, the snow like divine ice-cream under our skis. 

We kept up our strength with hot chocolate...

...German käsespätzle...  

and Austrian Kaiserschmarren.  

The sunset on Saturday night was a stunning whirl of golds and greys and whites, reflecting off the pristine snow.

But what I liked even better was Sunday morning; a wall of mist below us, the sun rising above, and the sky a perfect shade of blue. 

Standing at the head of a ski trail with the sun shining on my face and my country spread out below me, I felt like I was on top of the world. 

Current Event März

It seems crazy to think that one year ago, I was sitting in my house in the US, looking forward to going to Germany and scouring the Internet to find an event worth writing about in my 'blog' which was basically a series of news articles.
A year has not only gone by for me, but for Joachim Gauck, Germany's president who took office last March. Examining Gauck's progress so far, he seems to be using his limited power as president to its full advantage. In a recent speech Gauck discussed frankly his views on the eurozone debt crisis, globalization and its consequences, and the European identity. While acknowledging the issues and doubts brought on by the crisis, Gauck called for European unity and a 'renaissance of European values.' Gauck's past as a pastor has also instilled in him a respect for the people; he frequently interacts with them both in speeches and in other functions, inviting many citizens to events such as the reception in Bellevue Palace.
Gauck is savvy with the press, shying away from blanket statements on controversial issues, but nonetheless unafraid to demand better explanations or more work in a particular problem.
According to recent surveys, three out of four people are currently satisfied with Gauck's work, with only 10 percent being specifically critical of Germany's president. Gauck's efforts have been solid and consistent, a sturdy, if not entirely extraordinary, rock in Germany's government and policies.
 http://www.dw.de/how-has-germanys-president-fared-one-year-in/a-16678907