Vanderbilt in Berlin/FUBiS 2015 Vanderbilt University History & Culture of Berlin (GER 294a) and Program Schedule (update 16 March) Director: Peggy Setje-Eilers
Program Schedule: May 23 - July 11, 2015
Friday May 22 DEPART from US for Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) DEPART
Saturday May 23 ARRIVAL in Berlin at Tegel International Airport (TXL) ARRIVE Pick-up at Tegel, briefing, welcome packet (transportation pass) Taxi to Celsiusstrasse (reimbursed only with receipt from taxi driver). Use key code to get your apartment key from lock box (Building #4).
Buy BUY GROCERIES! Stores are open until 10 pm, closed Sun.-Mon. groceries Pfingsten (Whitsuntide) in Germany is a two-day holiday: 24-25 May.
Sunday May 24 Preparation for origins of Berlin: Read pdf files on Altberlin/Cölln. 2:00 pm Meet at 2 pm in front of your building at the Celsiusstr. apartments Take S-25 together, first to Kreuzberg, then to Alexanderplatz.
Watch parade at Karneval der Kulturen in Kreuzberg (Pfingstsonntag).
Tour of Alexanderplatz and Nikolaiviertel (the oldest area in Berlin)
Dinner: Altberliner Weißbierstube (Nikolaiviertel) (German cuisine) http://www.alt-berliner-weissbierstube.de/Home (030-242-4454, Rathausstr. 21, 10178 Berlin) (15 min. SW of Alexanderplatz on Rathausstr. across Spandauerstr.)
Bus 200 to Potsdamer Platz for best Italian ice cream at Caffè e Gelato http://www.caffe-e-gelato.de/de/eissorten.php
Sony Center, then Internet Cafe (E-mail/Skype) District of Berlin: Mitte
Monday May 25 Day 1: "History & Culture of Berlin" (Pfingstmontag)
Meet at Fat Tire under TV Tower (to right) at Alexanderplatz Station Day-long historical guided bike tour of Berlin (if good weather) Non-bike riders: museum, lunch in Tiergarten at Schleusenkrug http://www.schleusenkrug.de District of Berlin: Mitte & Schöneberg
Tuesday May 26 Day 2: "History & Culture of Berlin"
10:45 am Bring PASSPORT & move-in email apartment contract. 2
Meet on left side main entrance Parliament (Reichstag): BE PROMPT! You need your passport for the 11:00 visit to the Parliament dome.
Lunch: Famous Currywurst at Konnopke’s Imbiß in Prenzlauer Berg http://konnopke-imbiss.de/Hinweis.html Buy cell phones and Internet sticks (stores open after holiday). You need your passport & move-in email for apartment to buy phone!
Boat tour on the Spree River (if time) District of Berlin: Mitte
6:00-8:00 pm Celsiusstr apartment manager's office: Building #4, basement Sign move-in contract, get full set of keys, buy laundry tokens Take German-speaker with you! Office hours 8-9 am (Tues.-Fri.). (Exchange keys with friend to avoid lockout)
Wednesday May 27 Day 3: "History & Culture of Berlin"
10:30 am Museum day! Wear good walking shoes. free tickets Meet at Neues Museum (Museum Island) front entrance for guided and tour tour of David Chipperfield’s architectural masterpiece built on the old museum ruins. Nefertiti, the gold of Troy, Egyptian mummies. http://www.smb.museum/museen-und-einrichtungen/neues- museum/home.html
Lunch: Strandbar in Monbijou Park (Fresh-baked pizza, beach chairs by the Spree River) http://www.amphitheater-berlin.de/strandbar.html arrive 3:15 Pergamon Museum (Museum Island) (Ishtar Gate of Babylon, large two-story marble Market Gate of Millet) http://www.smb.museum/en/museums-and- 7:00 meet institutions/pergamonmuseum/home.html
Theater, opera, or concert (TBA according to schedule and tickets) District of Berlin: Mitte
Thursday May 28 Day 4: "History & Culture of Berlin"
10:30 am Day trip to Potsdam: Frederick the Great’s 18th C Rococo Palace http://www.potsdam.de/node/276460
Meet at Yorckstr. S-Bahn stop (S25), go to Potsdam on S1 & S7
Take RE train to Hauptbahnhof (postmodern train station) on return District of Berlin: Potsdam (SW of Berlin)
Friday May 29 Day 5: "History & Culture of Berlin"
3
11:00 am First-week party (place TBA) Final exam with snacks
Jewish Museum (Kreuzberg) http://www.jmberlin.de/main/EN/homepage-EN.php or Bayerischer Platz (U-7): Holocaust sign memorial, Stih & Schnock http://www.stih-schnock.de/remembrance.html Türkischer Markt: Maybachufer, Kreuzberg (Tues. & Fri. 12- 6 pm) http://www.tuerkenmarkt.de
Early dinner in Kreuzberg District of Berlin: Kreuzberg
Saturday May 30 Free day! Reading time for days 1-2 of Track A & B courses (Print material in US for days 1-2. FUBiS provides course materials (books. readers).
Sunday May 31 FUBiS Welcome Reception 1:00 pm A FUBiS guide will pick you up in front of Celsiusstr. apartments. Reception begins at 2pm at FUBiS: Malteserstr. 74-100, D-12249.
Monday June 1 Language placement tests & tour of Free University Day 1 of language courses & Track A courses (Mon. & Thurs.)
June 1 => July 10 FUBiS Courses (6 weeks)
Tuesday June 2 Day 1 of Track B courses (Tues. & Friday)
Tuesday June 23 Elevator to top of TV Tower (date may vary depending on weather) Spectacular view of Berlin in revolving restaurant. Snacks. Time TBA http://tv-turm.de/en/
Tuesday June 30 Farewell dinner I Due Forni (Italian restaurant), Prenzlauer Berg http://gogermany.about.com/od/foodanddrink/fr/IDueForniBerlin.htm (U-2 Senefelderplatz, walk S on Schönhauserallee; S of Kollwitzplatz)
Friday July 10 Last day of courses Farewell reception 2-5 pm at FUBiS: Malteserstr. 74-100, D-12249
Saturday July 11 Move-out day Fly home or travel on! Auf Wiedersehen! (Goodbye!)