Tabea Bruckelt (German Lanugage Resident 2007-09)
Where do you live in your home country?
I live in a small town in the southernmost state Bavaria, called Forchheim. It is close to Nuremberg, where the world famous Christkindlesmarket takes place in the winter time. The state capital Munich is just a 2 hour-drive away.
What is your favorite cultural tradition or holiday? Why is it special to you?
Here in Bavaria we have the special tradition to spend most our summer - leisure time in the so called “beer-gardens”. These “beer-gardens” are almost like restaurants, just that you can only sit outside, usually under the trees or directly in the woods. Each city celebrates once a year its own “beer-garden” festival with roller coasters, lots of other fun activities and self-made food. In my home town this festival is called “Annafest” (in order to celebrate Anna).
What is your favorite dish?
My favourite dish is called Kaiserschmarrn. It consists of eggs, flour, raisins, and powder sugar and is thus very sweet. It once was the favourite dish of the Emperor of Austria, and always when the cook “messed up” that dish it was served to the servants, because it was nonsense to serve it to the Emperor, a legend says. That’s where the name Kaiserschmarrn = emperor’s nonsense comes from.
What fun activities do you like to engage in?
In my leisure time I do a lot of sports like horseback riding whenever I get the chance, skiing and snowboarding in the Alps in winter and ballroom dancing. The rest of the time I play my instruments (the saxophone, clarinet and piano), play with the Big Band at various events. Furthermore I like to travel round the world and see interesting places. The US is one of them…
What do you look forward to the most about being in the U.S. this coming academic year? (Or simply in terms of being at Oldenborg or Pomona College?)
I am looking forward to get the chance to talk with American students about my home country, discuss interesting topics and dig into the American way of life. I’d love to make many new friends and have lots of fun with them!