Arguably the most difficult part of blogging about this trip (as I'm sure would be the case in any abroad experience) has been to capture the sea of subtlety that naturally comes when thrust into a world outside of your own. However, I feel that I would not be doing my religion major proud if …
Tourism Revisited
To continue our journey through Bali with a a trip to one of the holiest temples on the island--Tanah Lot. Located on an island twenty yards off the coast of the mainland, at first blush this quiet sea temple (seen below) has an unperturbed atmosphere deserving of its sacred status. However, look anywhere around this …
Tourism and Kecak
So far in our virtual journey through Bali, we've covered forms of Balinese music and theater that predated globalization and the advent of mass tourism. However, as emphasized through Liz's repeated questioning of "well what IS traditionally/properly Balinese?" a main point in this class has been about the fluidity of culture. Just as the indisputably …
Playing in the Gamelan
Throughout our time in Bali, the class has had the opportunity to play in one of the cornerstones of Balinese music--the gamelan (or "ensemble" in English). Composed primarily of bronze instruments to withstand Southeastern Asia's notorious rainy season, these gamelans serve multiple ends here in Balinese society. On one level, one cannot understate the religious …
Barong in Bali
This week in Bali, our class had the pleasure to witness a traditional performance of the Barong--a mythic creature of major importance in Balinese theatre and religiosity. This lion-esque beast contains two people controlling the costume, with one in the front and one in the back. Though seemingly a stage prop at first blush, the …
Krimidinner
On Thursday night, as we neared the end of another busy week, the students of German 202, and a few members of the Max Kade house, CC’s German language house, gathered together at Professor Ane Steckenbiller’s house to eat a delicious home cooked, Mediterranean dinner, and to play an exciting German murder-mystery game. The game …
Week two in German 202
Each week in German 202 our course work is centered on a specific theme from our textbook. The vocabulary, discussions and readings that we do each week usually have some connection to these themes. Past themes in this block include traditions, regional specialties, science, and technology. This week’s main focus was on law and the …
Bavaria
This week in German 202 a major theme of discussion was the German federal state of Bavaria, or as it’s known in Germany, Bayern. Bavaria is known its modern cities like Munich and Nuremburg, stunning castles, and idyllic countryside. As a Bavarian native herself, Dr. Ane Steckenbiller, our professor, was able to provide our class …
Research and Pizza
The past two and a half weeks have been filled with various Chicago explorations but the nature of the block plan is bringing me back to reality. The pace of the class is definitely quickening as we wrap up third week. All twelve of us spent most of today in the Newberry Library. While Lena …
A Trip to the Museum
In the past two weeks, my classmates and I have wandered through various parts of Chicago. From Uptown to the UChicago campus, we’ve passed walls of murals, popped our heads into random music venues, people-watched at Lincoln and Millennium park, and eaten nearly everything in sight. Nevertheless, visiting the Chicago History Museum illuminated many aspects …
