mægəˈziːn - reconnecting

/ˌmægəˈziːn/ 2

Letter from the Editors Reconnecting means something different to all of us – rediscovering a sense of belonging; catching a whiff of a long-forgotten perfume; revisiting history; stepping out into nature. This year, more than any other, is the year for reconnection, after such a long period of disconnection: from our friends, our family, ourselves. This issue of /,mægəˈziːn/ chronicles this journey of reconnection, from quiet moments of introspection to spreading our wings and placing our feet on new ground.

We have finally returned to in-person classes and thus to Munich, exploring every nook and cranny of the campus and the city, and attempting to charge our devices in the process! Moving out from the city, our articles encourage revisiting and appreciating nature, and nourishing both our souls and our stomachs. We reconnect with ourselves and our hobbies, returning to the community aspect of sports and the arts, while remembering what it was like when we didn’t have that option. Finally, we rediscover the joys of travel, embarking on adventures across Germany with the 9 € ticket, and heading further afield on studies abroad, with recommendations for your own travels every step of the way.

Whatever reconnection means to you, we hope you’ll find it represented here.

Enjoy!

Ciara, Clara and Alan

Letter from the Editors Time to go offline again…

by Sara Zdravkovic Low batteries on campus

by Alessia Cortina

page 2

page 4

page 6

Flea Markets – Treasure Hunt in Munich

by Lena Kriegmair page 8 Double the trouble or twice as nice: studying at TUM and LMU

by Christin Schmidt page 10 Reconnecting With Our Humanity – How To Help Ukraine During the Crisis

by Alessia Cortina page 11 Bivouacking under the around Munich

by Sarah Abdul-Rahman

stars page 12

Moving out while living at home

by Christin Schmidt page 13 Why we romanticize the past and how to stop it

by Clara Engler page 14 Dealing with grief – Learning to live without

by Clara Engler page 15 Bee-connecting – How you can help preserve bees in your neighbourhood

by Marie Hoffmann page 16

Pastéis de Nata – Portuguese Custard Treats

by Lena Kriegmair page 17

Why you should start analogue photography – a personal tale

by Sarah Puchta page 30

Pimp your cooking by foraging for wild herbs

by Annika Fischer page 18

“Is this art, or…?” (Re-) connecting with Munich’s art museums

by Marie Hoffmann page 31

Camemburger – are you kidding me?

by Alan Schroeder page 20

Amateur musicianship during and after COVID

by Alan Schroeder page 32

Back to the roofs in the Olympic Park

by Lena Horlbeck page 21

The 9 € ticket – curse or blessing?

by Sarah Puchta page 33

Running in a team: a reconnecting experience

by Alan Schroeder page 22 Keeping alive our creativity

by Sarah Abdul-Rahman

Say Yes to the Erasmus

by Ciara O’Connor

Small country, big history

by Lynn Weber

inherent page 23

Coming to Terms with Coming of Age

by Ciara O’Connor page 24 To read or to watch…that is the question

by Sara Zdravkovic page 26 Reconnecting with the freedom of reading

by Lynn Weber page 28

page 34

page 36

A guide to Baile Átha Cliath on a small budget

by Annika Fischer page 38 ICP Panic during the Pandemic

by Lena Kriegmair page 40 Seoul Searching

by Lena Horlbeck

Impressum

page 41

page 42

/nːizˈəgæmˌ/

Contents

3

/ˌɒfˈlaɪn/

Time to go offline again…

by Sara Zdravkovic

4 A student recalls her first day back on Campus after two years What seemed like a fun change at first, turned into a tedious way of studying It’s April 25th and I am getting ready for university. I need to make sure I don’t forget anything: phone, laptop, keys, money, some pen and paper. I mustn’t forget anything, because unlike the classes of the last two years, the ones today are being taught in person again. It’s been two years since I have gone to university, and I am a little nervous. For the past two years, attending class meant logging into Zoom a few minutes before class.

What seemed like a fun change at first, turned into a tedious way of studying: lectures were pre-recorded, and seminars were attended by what seemed to be 30 black screens.

So going back on Campus will surely be fun…

On Zoom, even though people were there, I still felt detached from everyone It’s Monday, 10 a.m. and I have reached Schellingstraße. Having been deserted for the past two years, the university quarter is finally buzzing with life again. Students and professors are rushing through the street, trying to make it to class on time. After two years online, some students are on Campus for the first time, waiting to meet their fellow colleagues in person.

Others are meeting their friends and sharing their first coffee between classes. It’s a nice atmosphere and I quite like it: I don’t feel alone anymore. On Zoom, even though people were there, I still felt detached from everyone. Everybody was at home, doing their own thing. Now it seems like the spell has been broken and Sleeping Beauty is finally waking up again.

On Zoom, most communication was kept to a minimum My first class is in English, focused on sharpening my writing skills. In front of the classroom, there are a couple of people waiting to get in.

We exchange some timid words and I notice that it’s been a while since we have made some small talk. On Zoom, most communication was kept to a minimum. It seems like everyone has become a little shy during the pandemic and it takes some courage to approach new people. The lecturer arrives and the lesson commences. We are sitting in a dusty, old room. The windows need to be opened and my comfortable chair at home is now swapped for a hard and uncomfortable wooden chair. Having had my huge desk to myself, now I need to share this one with my partner. Sitting in this dusty and pale room, I really miss my colourful, cosy office. However, a nice effect of being in person again: you are not staring at thirty black rectangles.

Instead, you are looking at ten living and breathing people with expressions on their faces. Also focusing is a lot easier. During the last two terms especially, following an online lecture had become increasingly difficult. At some point, everything appeared to be more interesting than studying.

Mental liberation Of course, commuting is more time consuming and more expensive.

For many students, this was the biggest advantage of remote studying. However, there are ways to use time more efficiently or make it more enjoyable at least: revising during your train ride or simply enjoying some music – the choice is yours. Something many students have had to struggle with, was the fact that there was no clear separation between university and free time: many studied in their bedroom or living room, so the pile of work was always visible and made relaxing harder. Now there is a spatial separation of those two areas again, which is mentally liberating.

On my way home after the first day, I think about my impressions.

Seeing students hurrying through the streets, attending lectures, and chatting in between, helped me to reconnect with the spirit of my student life. Ultimately, it doesn’t feel like anything has changed. Life on Campus was frozen in time, but today it came back to life.

/ˌɒfˈlaɪn/

In addition, being back in person makes communication a lot easier.

There are no more awkward “breakout-sessions” on Zoom and everyone is engaged in the topic. Another nice effect of being back in person: you get to reconnect with colleagues in between classes. Whether you exchange news over a cup of coffee, have lunch together or simply share your thoughts with someone, socializing is a lot easier again.

5

/ˈbæt(ə)rɪ/ 6

Low batteries on campus

by Alessia Cortina

Draining our energy while charging our devices. Why our university should invest in improving our digital infrastructure.

“There has to be a better way to spend my break,” I think to myself while sitting on the staircase of Schelling 3, sheepishly grinning at the passers-by whose path I am partly occupying. I just wish there were places designated for my time off, and I am not alone in thinking this. Most of my friends and classmates feel similarly. We have no idea where to sit and write, sit and study, sit and rest. We are constantly running from one classroom to the next, and in our breaks, we are running to find available chargers. The verdict seems to be that you either charge your devices or charge yourself. To be able to do both is asking too much.

I intended on writing this to find places for us to use.

But I find myself unable to fulfil that assignment, as the spaces offered are simply not meant for resting and charging your laptop at the same time. Sure, the Philologicum is terrific. But students cannot spend their time there talking to their friends, eating a snack, or resting. The green benches in Schelling 3 are always full, and there is only one power source, one single socket for a space meant to host at least two dozen students. The “Hof” behind the main building is a great place to rest, but you have to hope for a sunny day, and you can forget about charging your devices. The alternative would be spending money and recharging with an overpriced latte in some hipster café. There are countless promising locations on or around campus, yet all of them lack at least one of the two conditions: you charge yourself or your devices.

And this would not be a problem in the first place if we were to have a reasonable amount of power sockets within the classrooms. If students were to be able to charge their laptops while using them, the cosy corners meant for rest and chatter would perfectly fulfil their purpose. And I wish I could tell you this was only due to the old infrastructure of the literature building, but even the most modern institutes, like the

Geschwister-Scholl Institute of Political Science in Oettingerstr., have an average of 5 plugs for a 30-person classroom. Now that, to me, seems like poor planning.

For an academic institution to not have designated charging stations is just inconceivable We can entertain the narrative that nowadays young people are all spoiled and too demanding, that this generation is never happy, but the truth is, they are not asking for much. Sure, change cannot happen suddenly. Letting go of old habits and patterns can be difficult, but for an academic institution not to have designated charging stations – especially in this post-pandemic time, where everything is increasingly digital - is just inconceivable.

The pandemic has revolutionized the way we treat education. It has changed our relationship with digital devices to an extreme level; whether we like it or not, we depend on them. Our education depends on them. It is by now an essential requirement to receive the means to ensure that is possible. However, for now, students spend so much time running around trying to find non-existent chargers that at the end of the day, not only are their devices’ batteries drained, but also their own.

/ˈbæt(ə)rɪ/

You charge yourself or your devices

7

/ˈfliː mɑːkɪt/ 8

Flea Markets – Treasure Hunt in Munich

by Lena Kriegmair

Do you enjoy strolling around picturesque markets and love finding little treasures? Then here’s a quick and simple guide on how to determine the genuineness of jewellery found in flea markets.

Plated, Filled, Vermeil – What’s the Difference?

Before we can dive into the nitty-gritty of it, it is important to get our basic terms sorted: Solid Gold: The metal is gold through and through. Only the percentage of the actual gold element it contains varies, in order to create white or rose gold, making it an alloy. The purity is measured in karat (k), depending on the percentage of pure gold compared to the other elements.

In the musical comedy Gentlemen prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe utters the iconic line “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. But how do you even determine whether those jewels are genuine or not, or if you just made a ‘false friend’? Visiting one of Munich’s various famous flea markets is (almost) a must for people who have never been to the capital of Bavaria – or are just looking for a fun way to spend their free time. Even better if you and your friends manage to dig up some real treasures out of the heaps of bric-a-brac. To guide you on your treasure hunt, this article collects helpful tips and tricks on how to verify whether the (gold) jewellery you want to buy is actually worth its price.

Locations To start with, you need a suitable place to go to. The biggest and most famous recurring flea market in Bavaria is the one situated on the old airport grounds in Riem every Saturday between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Should you prefer to sleep in, and take joy in exploring the nightlife instead, maybe the Munich night markets, like the Midnightbazar at Reithalle are more up your alley.

And should a different day suit you better, the antiques-and-flea market in Daglfing takes place every Friday and Saturday, both indoors and outdoors.

Hallmarks 24k, 18k, 14k, 10k: Depicts the purity of gold. 24k is the purest gold, you have 24 out of 24 parts gold present in the metal.

With 18k you have 18 out of 24 parts gold, and so on and so forth.

Hallmark 925: Shows the purity of silver. For every 1000 parts of material, 925 parts are pure silver.

Gold Filled: A cheaper base metal is bonded with a thick layer of gold which (usually) won’t wear away quickly even under regular use.

Gold Vermeil: A thin layer of gold is electroplated on specifically sterling silver. It is likely that the plating will wear away quickly.

Gold Plated: A thin layer of gold is electroplated on any piece of metal, the plating is likely to wear off soon.

Now that you’ve got your vocab down, it’s time to put it to use. When I was still quite inexperienced, the mistake I regularly made was buying gold-plated pieces for way too much money. I had the misconception that gold equals quality, without even realizing that the gold content was actually only a fraction of the original piece. Gold plated rings, especially, are prone to lose their luster quite quickly due to their frequent exposure to moisture and rubbing for example by washing hands, putting on creams or not taking them off during workouts. When buying rings, I completely avoid anything that is not at least gold filled. Looking at this gold vermeil ring for example (see facing page), you can clearly see that the thin layer of gold already mostly rubbed off at the area where it has been in most contact with my skin. This unfortunately makes the entire ring look cheap despite it being made of sterling silver, which was quite disappointing to me.

So when you are standing in front of a booth hoping to strike a bargain, what is it you actually have to look out for? The easiest way to spot something of value is to keep an eye out for the above-mentioned hallmarks which are normally stamped on the inside of the piece of jewellery you are looking at. Because the letters are usually comparatively small, it is also advisable to take a magnifier with you. So for example, when you spot a gold charm, but the only stamp on it is a 925, it is relatively certain that what you are looking at is only gold plated silver, and not solid or filled gold as it might have been described. Other things to look out for are weight – gold for example is comparatively heavy – discoloration due to wear or lack of care, or even weird smells due to oxidation.

This small glimpse on how to differentiate trinket from treasure will hopefully prove useful the next time you snoop around flea market stalls, not only by potentially saving you money, but it might even protect you from allergic reactions to non-precious metals like nickel.

But as the author and professor of English Literature Gina Barreca very wisely put it: “It’s not that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but it’s your best friends who are your diamonds.” So, try to cherish the little moments with them – like goofing around on a treasure hunt in a flea market.

/ˈfliː mɑːkɪt/

How to Differentiate Trinket from Treasure

9

/ˈstʌdiɪŋ/

Double the trouble or twice as nice: studying at TUM and LMU

by Christin Schmidt

10 Studying at two universities – it should be no big deal and rather easy to do, but there are multiple obstacles in the way.

For me, going back to university does not only mean returning to LMU but also to TUM. I’m studying Vocational Education with the subjects Nutritional Science and Home Economics (TUM) and English (LMU) at both universities.

Although you might think that this is quite easy, there are some challenges.

Every student in Munich knows that a deep-rooted competition exists between these two universities. LMU is older, TUM is more modern. LMU represents the arts, and TUM is a leading scientific university. Not only do the universities compete, but so do the students.

Many argue about which university is better and why one should study at that university, of all universities. To illustrate this competition, there is even an annual dragon boat race between the two universities.

Despite this rivalry, in my opinion it is interesting to study at both universities, and to compare what is different and to identify what could be changed to make it easier for students who are studying simultaneously at TUM and LMU.

universities register for courses at LMU, without knowing when the lectures will take place at TUM. Apart from that, many find it difficult to develop a sense of belonging.

They often feel like they are passed back and forth between the two universities without really belonging to either one of them.

Without knowing when the lectures will take place at TUM

The English Garden is also nearby

The most challenging task is registering for courses and lectures for the upcoming semester. While there is a strictly regulated registration period at LMU, this is not the case at TUM. There, the lecturers open the registration whenever they want. Students at both

The biggest advantage of studying at LMU, is to experience studying at a university where everything is close by. I enjoy the short distances between courses, and the English Garden is also nearby. It is ideal for a short break, especially during the summer semester.

At TUM, on the other hand, everything is spread all over the city. But if you’re lucky, you can enjoy the view from the 6th floor in Marsstraße or take a spin on the parabolic slide in the MPI (mathematics, physics, and informatics) building.

All in all, I am more than grateful for the opportunity to study at both universities. I get a good insight into what is different and what could be adopted from the other university to make it easier for the students. I hope the two universities will find a way to connect and work more closely together because the students would benefit from this, and Munich could keep on promoting itself with two excellent universities.

by Alessia Cortina

Crises are terrifying and heartbreaking, but helping out goes a long way. Here are ways to start doing, instead of merely asking what you can do.

Often, when faced with overwhelming catastrophes like the current war in Ukraine, people resort to the following statement: Yes, it is horrible. But what can I do about it?

It is a question meant to relieve the speaker of any responsibilities, forcing the issue out of their hands and out of their minds. When, in fact, there is always something to be done. Looking for ways to help does not take long. Here are just a few: Donate. Realistically, this is the best way to help, especially for those who do not possess any linguistic or medical knowledge and would probably do more harm than good on the front lines of the crisis. München Hilft Ukraine (muenchen-hilftukraine.de) is constantly looking for donors and collecting donations.

Offer shelter. As students, this might not be an option for most, but if you still live with your parents and have an extra room, you can consider offering it as a short-term shelter. The Kulturzentrum GOROD and Heimatstern e.V. are only two examples of the countless organizations enabling communication between hosts and shelter-seekers.

Make your skills and interests available. There is always a need for extra hands and people with unique and rare skills.

The Institute for German as a Foreign Language, for instance, has started an initiative to put what they are learning at university into practice. They have launched their programme to teach German to refugees and are constantly looking for more support.

Get involved in issues you are genuinely passionate about. This far into the crisis, long-term progress is much more valuable than the initial short-term response. Following and contacting specific organizations is a great way to guarantee your distinct set of skills will be put to good use.

For instance, the Munich Kyiv Queer initiative has been active since long before Russia’s attack and has enabled communication between the two cities, specifically focused on Queer aid and support. If you are particularly passionate about LGBTQIA+ issues, engaging with such an organization could be a great way to show your support.

Stay informed. Make sure you remain aware of recent political and social developments. Perhaps your skills and resources might not be needed now, but they might be in the future.

Be aware of your biases. Remember that immigration has been an issue in Germany and Europe for almost ten years.

Be aware of your biases when you find yourself giving preferential treatment to victims of a war happening ‘right on our doorstep’, and keep in mind that these same biases keep systemic inequalities in place.

It seems like we are constantly jumping from one crisis to the next, like we never get the chance to catch our breath. Taking care of yourself is an essential part of creating lasting change, and this article is not meant to accuse anyone of not doing enough: there will always be more to do, and these are just a few of the many ways to keep helping.

/juːˈkreɪn/

Reconnecting With Our Humanity – How to Help Ukraine During the Crisis

11

/ˈbɪvʊækɪŋ/ 12

Bivouacking under the stars around Munich

by Sarah Abdul-Rahman

Bivouacking (sleeping outdoors without a tent) is a way to connect deeply with nature and yourself.

Munich and its surrounding countryside offer great opportunities for that.

The last time I went bivouacking I literally felt the world fall asleep and I awoke up with all my senses alive. It was like the night with its extinguished candles fusioned with the dawning sun at the river bank.

The forest around the Isar, near my hometown of Wolfratshausen, the so-called Isarauen with its larches just has a magical and mystic spirit to it. The Isar invites you to take a dip in the morning which will, with its chilly but refreshing temperature, make your morning coffee redundant.

Spending the night in the Alps is also a very impressive experience. An amazing hike is possible in the Jachenau which is close to Walchensee. It offers waterfalls and your hike can be turned into a two-day tour to Benediktenwand, a summit you can reach on your second day in the morning. You can watch the sunrise there and then have breakfast at Tutzinger Hütte.

For a wonderful bivouac, you only need a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat, an optional cover to put on the ground to lower the risk of moisture in your sleeping bag, a camp cooker for warm beverages and food, a headlamp and decoration to make the bivouac cozy e.g. fairy lights and colourful cloths.

Use a tarp to protect you from rain Even though bivouacking is a very liberating and freeing thing to do and generally legal in Germany, there are a couple of rules you have to/should stick to. You should make sure not to choose a spot in a nature reserve; using a tent is not allowed since this would be classified as camping, but you can use a tarp to protect you from rain. In most places, making a campfire is not allowed. If you still decide to make one you should never do it in the forest and make sure to keep a safe distance from it especially in the summer when it’s dry.

Be respectful of nature You should keep in mind that sometimes you’re in the habitat of rare animals and plants. Never leave any garbage at the camp and try not to make too much noise. You also should not store your food openly to avoid attracting animals. If you keep these things in mind, sleeping outdoors can become an unforgettable, adventurous and even spiritual experience.

by Christin Schmidt

You may wonder how this is even possible: You can move out and live at home at the same time.

And I am sure that many students can probably relate to my situation.

I have been living in a student dormitory in Munich near Gärtnerplatz since 2019. But during the pandemic and the lockdown, I moved back in with my family. And that was certainly not an easy situation. But even now, after the pandemic and the online classes, I feel like I live in two places. During the semester, I stay in my room in Munich. But during the summer and winter breaks, I spend most of my time in my hometown with my parents.

I have to adjust to not living alone and living in a family again It can be stressful and annoying when being back at my parents’ house, as I have to adjust to living in a family again. For example, cooking dinner can be difficult. In my apartment, I can cook whatever suits me, but when at home, everybody should enjoy dinner and not just me. What makes the dinner situation even more tricky is agreeing on the time to eat. There can be moments when I still want to study and eat later or prefer to meet my friends spontaneously. In my Munich home, I adapt my dinner to my university life and recreation time and not to other family members.

Sometimes I think I lost that piece of clothes Another obstacle is my closet. I have clothes at both places, and I’m always wondering where one specific piece of clothing is. When staying in Munich for a longer time, I forget what I left behind, and I begin to search my room for clothes that are neither in my closet nor in the laundry.

Sometimes, I think I lost that item, but in the end, it is always in my other closet at my parents’ place. Also, every time I visit my family and friends at home, I have to pack a backpack with clothes, so that I can wear my favourite blue dress and matching sneakers and not just what I left at my parents’ house.

Maybe those “problems” are part of the so-called student life, it is not only parties, courses, and free time. And of course, it is a great experience to live in a vibrant city. But at the same time, I can recharge in a more rural area. I am one of those lucky students who CAN live in both places.

/həʊm/

Moving out while living at home

13

/roʊˈmæntəˌsaɪz/

Why we romanticize the past and how to stop it

by Clara Engler

Have you ever caught yourself mourning over a past time, a past event or even a past lover, where, if you are completely honest with yourself, not everything was sunshine and rainbows?

14 Often, we want something back simply because we no longer have it. It does not matter whether we were particularly happy during that time, we just miss it for the sake of missing it.

It happens to many of us. But why?

Putting our past on a pedestal robs us of joy Our brain purposefully forgets sad or even traumatizing events to protect us. Imagine how exhausting it would be to be confronted with those thoughts on a daily basis. Researchers like Felipe de Brigard, a professor of philosophy, psychology and neuroscience at Duke University explain that negative memories fade much more quickly than positive ones. This phenomenon is called “fading affect bias”. It is normal and even healthy to mostly remember positive events.

However, we should not forget about the small but important word “bias”.

Our thoughts and memories are biased and romanticizing them too much can become detrimental if it interferes with our current life. Putting our past on a pedestal robs us of joy in the present moment. It can even prevent us from making new memories.

Take it with a pinch of salt How do we stop it?

Well, as you might have already guessed, it’s not a one-way street.

There is no recipe or step-by-step guide that will magically stop us from thinking about the past. In fact, I don’t even want us to completely stop. Again, it is healthy to do so, and we should appreciate our ability to be able to go back in time. To rewatch those memories in our head like a movie. As long as we know how memories work, we can try to take it with a pinch of salt. So while it can be a struggle to put the past to rest, it’s not an impossible mission.

An active way to put our mind to rest is this: Firstly, we need to consciously distance ourselves from a particular past event. Then, we actively think about this memory. Sure, we can all think of the positive parts. Now, we recall the negative ones. It might be hurtful at first, but the initial warped memory becomes clearer. However, a more long-term way of dealing with romanticizing the past is generally being more mindful in our life. Besides breathing exercises, meditation or going on walks, it can be very beneficial to socialize with current

During Covid especially, it was much easier to think about the past and all the things we missed. But now is the time to leave it behind, go out there and enjoy ourselves. We can do it.

by Clara Engler

Losing a loved one feels like sailing across the ocean: sometimes the sea is calm, and the ship is steady. Sometimes it’s rocky, and you must hold on tight. And sometimes, the waves are so massive, it feels like you’re going to drown.

“Time heals all wounds”- nearly everybody has heard this phrase before, yet not everybody would agree with it. Some might argue that it’s not true at all; that time does not heal anything, but you learn to live with the pain.

interestingly, not every grieving process is going to be the same. My grandmother was not the first person to pass away that I have experienced. Five years ago, a friend lost her life through suicide. Due to these tragic circumstances, my grieving process was quite different. It quickly went from denial to anger and depression within a couple of weeks.

She was gone forever

However, both losses have one thing in common: it gets easier. In the beginning, it feels like a rock impossible to climb. Your racing thoughts and feelings bombard you. Feelings of intense sadness, numbness, and anger arise. They are unpredictable; you never know when another wave of grief will hit you, and there is nothing that can make it go away. But in the end, you still climb the mountain when you take two steps forward and one step back. Or, to refer to the analogy from before, you learn to become a good sailor and take control of your ship.

Everybody in their lifetime will experience grief, whether it’s losing a pet, a parent, or a best friend.

And in most cases, you won’t be prepared. When my grandmother died in January of this year, I was in shock. I remember everything happening so quickly that I barely had time to process this awful news. We organized the funeral, packed our bags, and went to her house in Croatia. The house was full of people, all day, every day. But at the same time, it was empty. She was gone.

I remember thinking, truly believing, that she was just at the grocery store, and she would come right back. But of course, she didn’t. She was gone forever; my brain simply couldn’t process that.

Not every grieving process is going to be the same This was six months ago. To be honest, I don’t think about her much. I know this sounds terrible, but I think I am not quite ready yet.

If you believe in the Seven Stages of Grief model, I am still stuck at number two: denial. But that’s the thing: nobody tells you how long every stage will take. More

You learn to take control of your ship

/griːf/

Dealing with grief - Learning to live without

15

/biːkəˈnektɪŋ/ 16

As soon as the days become longer and sunny days more frequent, we can all see the bees coming out of their hiding places and buzzing through nature, adding to the summer feeling. Sadly, in recent years bees faced many difficulties, leading to whole hives dying and beekeepers desperately fighting for increased protection for the insects. Although referendums like the 2019 initiative in Bavaria are raising awareness for this issue, the actions taken as result are often slow and ineffective. Therefore, I would like to present a couple of easy ways in which you can help preserve bees and protect nature – without having to become an expert in horticulture!

Bee-connecting – How you can help preserve bees in your neighbourhood

by Marie Hoffmann Are you interested in helping insects or did you sign the 2019 “Save the Bees” referendum in Bavaria? Here are some guidelines on how you can help bees and other insects over the summer – even without a garden!

Buy locally!

This may be something you already do with vegetables and fruits to reduce emissions, but it also benefits bees.

Through buying locally produced honey, fruits, and vegetables, you are supporting the farmers and beekeepers in your area. Another benefit is that through buying local honey, foreign illnesses from e.g. the U.S. can’t get to Germany and can’t infect beehives here. Local, organic farming also doesn’t use pesticides which are detrimental to bees and cause large numbers of casualties every year.

Clean your jars!

This may seem strange at first, but often the sweet leftovers in honey jars are poisonous for bees. They are attracted by the sweet, sticky dregs in recycling containers and eat potentially poisonous waste, which they then carry to their hives. Therefore, simply give empty jars a good rinse before recycling them or use reusable containers that you can return to be refilled.

Build bee baths!

Bees – like humans – get thirsty! To build little resting spots, you can build little bee baths and set them on your balcony or windowsill. Take a small, shallow bowl or plate and fill it with water. Then place pebbles or other stones into the water so that they break the surface and create little islands for the bees to land on. CAREFUL! Contrary to popular belief, feeding bees in forms of bowls with sugar water is not a good way of helping bees! You should only feed single bees that appear weak with a sugar-water mixture, but it is not healthy for bees to solely rely on this food.

I hope that I have given you a couple of ideas on what to do the next time you’re buying honey or taking away your empty containers. I have found that it’s the small things in life that matter – just like it’s the small insects that matter!

by Lena Kriegmair During the pandemic, I had loads of free time on my hands and couldn’t go to restaurants to meet up with friends. Thus, I really got into baking because I wanted to get back that connection; I wanted to be able to share food and conversations with my favourite people again. As it was safer to meet outside, I opted for smaller, easily portable treats that you could eat anywhere.

This rich and luscious puff pastry is one of my absolute favourites to make when it comes to baking for friends. It’s a Portuguese classic; it’s delicious, moist and fluffy and can be enjoyed on just about any (special or not so special) occasion, be it picnics, birthdays or sleepovers.

Time Prep 1 hr Cook 8-10 min

Ingredients (for approx. 24 cups) Pastry 2 rolls of puff pastry Filling 1 egg 3 egg yolks 90g sugar 2 tbsp (15g) of cornstarch 1 pinch of salt 1 tsp (4.2g) vanilla extract Dusting Cinnamon Icing sugar

Directions 1. Start by taking the rolls of puff pastry out of the fridge to let them warm up to room temperature ( approx. 5 min).

2. Roll out the dough and fold it in half along the longer side of the rectangle.

3. With the shorter edge of the dough closest to you, begin to roll the dough up tightly into what resembles a log.

4. Cut the rolled dough into 12 even pieces.

5. Place the individual pieces with their spiral side facing upwards.

6. Press them flat with your palm, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough into circles which are slightly bigger than the muffin moulds you are using.

7. The pastry-pieces can now be put into the individual muffin moulds, the tray can then be set aside to cool off again.

8. Preheat the oven to 250° (a lower temperature is also possible).

9. For the custard, add the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch to a pot and mix. Slowly add the milk until everything is well combined.

10. Heat up the liquid on medium heat (make sure to stir continuously) until the mixture starts to thicken and bubbles start to form.

11. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

12. Immediately pour the custard into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap to avoid a skin forming on the pudding.

13. Let the mixture cool off for a few minutes.

14. Use a teaspoon to fill the moulds with custard. Make sure that the mixture does not reach above the rim of the dough.

15. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The filling should look slightly broiled.

16. When ready to serve, dust with cinnamon and icing sugar and enjoy!

/ˌpɔːtʃʊˈɡiːz ˌpʌf ˈpeɪstri/

Pastéis de Nata - Portuguese Custard Treats

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/ˈfɒrɪdʒɪŋ/

Pimp your cooking by foraging for wild herbs

by Annika Fischer

Have you ever thought about connecting with nature by cooking with herbs from your local area?

18 Everyone knows the use of wild garlic but what about the stinging nettle? Here are four underrated plants which you should definitely use in your next meal.

Have you ever struggled with bad breath because you ate (wild) garlic or onions? Ginger and parsley are good options to reduce the smell. Speaking of parsley, ground elder was used in the past because it was considered the parsley of poor people.

The following article informs you about ground elder, the daisy, the stinging nettle, and the dandelion.

Ground elder Appearance: Keep the 3x3x3 rule in mind: The leaves always grow in three groups of three. The stem is noticeably triangular. All of the oval-shaped leaves are toothed and hairless.

Location: Always bear in mind: never pick it from roadsides because of traffic pollution, nor from dog-walking fields or from nature reserves.

This robust plant can be found spreading rapidly in many places, e.g. in gardens, shrubberies, hedges, woodlands and lawns.

Watch out for poisonous look-alikes: wild hemlock and greater water-parsnip.

Ground elder’s triangular stem helps to keep them apart: one side is concavely notched.

Harvest: March to June before it flowers.

Cooking: Using the young and tender leaves you can make a salad, adding all kinds of vegetables. There is no specific recipe – just get your creative juices flowing. You can also blend it for a dip with low-fat curd cheese, a dash of cream and spice.

Maybe even consider making some soup. The older leaves can be used to make tea – however, you should get rid of the stems – by the time they get rancorous. Another option would be cooking it like spinach.

Daisy This cute-looking flower can be put into a salad or a dip made out of the daisies’ leaves, browned onions, cream cheese and their flowers as a decorative tasteful topping.

Excited enough to go on a wild herb walk? Enjoy the stroll through nature finding delicious ingredients.

/ˈfɒrɪdʒɪŋ/ Stinging nettle Appearance: The quadrangular stem is upright and rigid. Most leaves are arranged across opposite sides of the stem and heart-shaped as well as tapered at the end. The green parts have stinging hairs. The leaf margin is coarsely toothed.

Location: Look around woodland edges, close to rivers, streams and ponds as it thrives in damp soil and partially shaded areas.

Harvest: May and September and make sure you were gloves.

Cooking: Blanch the diuretic leaves like spinach until they are wilted. Then serve them with a blob of crème fraiche. Using the leftover water, you can also make a cup of tea in order to detox your body. Another way of using the herb is by blending the blanched and wilted leaves in a mixer. Afterwards, you can add the bright green liquid into a standard bread dumpling dough.

You could also dip the leaves into a pancake dough and fry them in a pan. Afterwards serve them with herb salt. Make sure your dough’s consistency is not too thin.

Don’t worry about the stinging hairs. They get eliminated by cooking and blending.

Dandelion You can use its flower to make vegan honey and a handful of minced leaves can be added to a potato salad with bacon and pumpkin seed oil. Watch out for the poisonous look-alike: the stinking willie.

If you are interested in using wild herbs in your everyday life, you will find many more nutritious and delicious ideas: garden sorrel, dandelion, daisy, garlic mustard, (sweet) woodruff and ribgrass.

Visit: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ynzxpw3veztngb0/Recipes. pdf?dl=0

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/ˈkæməmˈbɜːɡə/ 20

Camemburger - are you kidding me?

by Alan Schroeder

A Camemburger sounds like some sort of bad joke, but actually, it is something you can eat - without receiving severe food poisoning.

Usually, a burger consists of a patty and a bun and maybe a few extras inside, and is often eaten warm. The Camemburger is not that different, consisting of a whole small Camembert acting as the patty and of a bread roll acting as the bun. No extras, such as lettuce, sliced cucumber or sliced tomato; who needs vitamins when they only distract from the creamy taste of Camembert?

The experience of eating this is truly unique First of all, it tastes absolutely great. The softness of the bread roll helps the creaminess of the cheese come across and the fact that the cheese to bread ratio is unusually high makes the experience of eating this truly unique. As you sink your teeth into the whole thing, the creaminess of the Camembert really hits you, you end up with a mouthful of bread and cheese, it is glorious.

Secondly, there is the price. All you need is a regular bread roll of your choice and a small Camembert, this sets you back half as much as a sandwich in a bakery, which is incredibly reasonable. If you bring a knife from home, you can make it on the spot; it will not take more than a minute.

Lastly, there is the aspect of uniqueness. Few people know about the Camemburger so it is truly unique.

When it becomes more well-known and popular, this will no longer be the case.

There is room for improvement These days, people want to personalize and improve everything. With the Camemburger it is exactly the same: It is great as it is, but of course you can give it your own twist. You could put a different sort of Camembert into it, or add blue cheese on top of the Camembert. If you are feeling really desperate, you can of course also put vegetables on it, it is entirely up to you. So the answer is yes, you can improve it to suit your taste.

You may not understand what the hype is all about, but it is basic food that just tastes absolutely great. A simple burger to get us all on the streets again.

/ˈtʃæm.pi.ən.ʃɪp/

Back to the roofs in the Olympic Park

by Lena Horlbeck

Get ready for the biggest multi-sport event in Germany since the 1972 Olympic Games!

The European Championships will take place in Munich from 11th to 21st of August and will offer 21 you world-class competition, nail-biting suspense, and a unique atmosphere.

Partly or even entirely free entry

Back to the roofs festival

Reusing iconic venues

The European Championships are a multi-sport event that combines twelve disciplines with the nine Olympic sports Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Canoe Sprint, Cycling, Gymnastics, Rowing, Sport Climbing, Table Tennis, and Triathlon among them.

While the heart of the event will be the Olympic Park, several sports such as Sport Climbing will take place at Köngisplatz. And the best thing is that for this event and several others including Mountain Bike and BMX freestyle, the entry will be partly or even entirely free.

Even if you are not a sports enthusiast, the European Championships will make your summer in Munich unforgettable. The slogan of the Championships “Back to the roofs” is also the title of the festival which will take place in the Olympic Park during the eleven days of competition. The main stage, “The Central Roof”, will be right outside the Olympic Stadium and next to the big lake, and will host the Opening ceremony. Other stages include “The Art Roof”, a floating art gallery on the lake and “The Capri Roof”. This is a relaxing beach bar which makes it the perfect spot to spend your summer days. You can listen to the free daily concerts, try food from countless food trucks and get comfortable with a cool summer drink.

This year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the Munich Olympic Games. The European Championships will reduce its ecological footprint by reusing many of the iconic facilities and equipment of the 1972 Olympic Games. The reuse of venues was already emphasized by the City of Munich during the bidding phase as it will mean that the financial and ecological impacts are much lower than in other cities where entire stadiums would have been built.

Numerous projects contribute to the sustainability of the event. The “WELCOME TO MUNICH” project for example focuses on biodiversity and helps to make “Munich blossom in all its glory!”

Trend sport climbing Are you an athlete, gymnast, cyclist, or climber yourself? According to the German Alpine Association, over 2 million people across Europe are active climbers. Climbing has developed into a trendy leisure sport and many young people across Europe have found a new hobby in bouldering. In the competition Boulder & Lead the athletes must solve as many routes on the wall as possible. In the Lead part of the competition, the athletes must climb as far as possible on an overhanging route within the six-minute time limit. This new competition is a fast-paced sport that brings great joy to athletes as well as fans.

Save the date and make sure to attend this amazing sports spectacle in your hometown.

/ˈrʌnɪŋ/

Running in a team: a reconnecting experience

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During lockdown many of us started running. It is a sport you can do on your own, ideal for a pandemic. Now after the pandemic we are faced once again with a wide range of sports. However, what if you are very keen on running and want to pursue it?

by Alan Schroeder

Joining a running team has two benefits. Socializing with the other members is a key feature; while running you talk to each other and gripping conversations and discusng you talk to each other and gripping conversations and discussions happen. This is exactly the social aspect you were searching for. In addition, you are also able to push your boundaries in the running club. As everyone is constantly comparing themselves to each other in the club, you know how fast the others are and everyone is trying to raise their own pace and also run further.

This aspect really propels you and motivates you to train as hard as you can.

You are not alone with these problems When running on your own, you realize that your body may not be as fit as you would like it to be. You might become tired very quickly on some days or you get headaches in the heat. However, when running with the team, you realize that the others have the same issues as you; you are not alone with these problems and they do not mean that you are unfit. Running in a team gives you a chance to talk to, and seek advice from, your teammates who have similar issues.

Rewarding experiences Of course, there are also bigger running events, especially here in Munich. Almost every district has a Stadtlauf every year and there are also plenty of other big running events. Running in these events as a team is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have. The vibe is indescribable as you run with hundreds of other runners.

All in all you can see that running in a team is great, whether you started running during the pandemic and want to pursue it and socialize through it or you are a complete beginner. It is not only good for your fitness, but also for your social life.

The running community is very supportive, centred around the sport and also around team spirit.

Clubs usually meet once or twice a week and the runs take place outdoors, which is also preferable for people for whom COVID is a great risk. Running in a team really is one of the easiest ways to reconnect.

by Sarah Abdul-Rahman

How to reanimate our creativity

Eat, study, sleep, repeat. Growing up, people feel more and more like they’re stuck in a rut. How can we add variety to our lives? An answer to that is getting creative, creating art. But how can we do this when sometimes the last time we got creatively active was at school?

Firstly, what is creativity? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, creativity is the ability to produce or use original and unusual ideas. This involves visual arts with painting, drawing, sculpture and photography as well as performing arts with theatre, dance and opera. Plus music and literature.

Children, especially, are highly creative but unfortunately over time they lose the connection to their creativity. This might be due to the different cognitive structure of adults’ brains but our society and educational system doesn’t always encourage out-of-the-box thinking.

The key to rediscovering our creativity might be to put ourselves in the shoes of a child.

Children mostly do things for themselves because it gives them joy and makes them happy. The final outcome is not the main priority. Adults on the other hand often focus only on the outcome and what they want. As a consequence, of course chances are high that if the outcome of a creative project does not match with the concept visualized beforehand they are going to be disappointed. How can we fix that?

Improvisational theatre evening with your friends We could for example just start and focus on the process and forget about the result we desire. Organize an improvisational theatre evening with your friends, firstly treating it like a social event with chatting, having snacks together and enjoying a glass of wine. Your creativity can then smoothly glide in without pressure. You can also write a text pouring out anything that comes to your mind or improvise on your instrument if you have one.

Amazing balance to logical thinking Make sure the connection to rules is loose and only a small part of the ultimate creative goal. We should also try to free ourselves from meritocracy and stop comparing ourselves to others when it comes to creativity. As long as art is a free-time activity, there is no reason to worry about whether people are going to like what you do. You should think about the benefits it has for you as an individual. Art can be an amazing balance to logical thinking that is required at university or work. It also has a positive impact on your mental health and it is used as therapy for people with mental health problems. What’s amazing is that it can be both centring for us as individuals or be a social event, both of which are important pillars of mental well-being. Since there are hardly any limitations to what can be considered art, any topic or content can be covered and expressed through art: Politics, utter nonsense, our emotions or trauma. It is our pacifist sword freeing us from the bland and ordinary in a society that often keeps us locked in cages.

Let us use it!

Untold Stories is a group of young people who love to write creatively in English and want to exchange ideas and get feedback on their work from like-minded peers. For more information, you can visit their website (https:// untoldstoriesmuc.de/) where you can read about their publications and sign-up as a member.

/ˌkriːeɪˈtɪvɪti/

Keeping alive our inherent creativity

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/ˈkʌmɪŋ əv eɪdʒ /

Coming to Terms with Coming of Age

by Ciara O’Connor

Feeling like you’ve missed out on those all-important years between adulthood and adolescence, thanks to the pandemic? These three coming-of-age films will help you relive and reconnect with your teenage self.

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Coming of age films encapsulate all the messy feelings that come with growing up Growing up and out of your teenage years is bittersweet. It is the moment you have been waiting for, the moment you have been dreading. The world is finally within your grasp, your whole life rolling out over the horizon, waiting for you. For those of us who experienced this bittersweet moment during the throes of lockdown, it feels as though a pivotal milestone has been hurtled past with little-to-no acknowledgement. In early 2020 I had only just begun to get used to university life and the freedom it afforded me – finally confident enough to join societies of like-minded people feminist, drama, writing; knowing what clubs were the best for a night out; budding friendships with my classmates – when it was yanked from my grasp. Suddenly, this sublime possibility, this new life, was now a lonely jumble of half-formed, incomplete friendships, masked smiles and weeks spent indoors. Like many others, I spent my time inside tangling up multi-coloured yarn in an attempt to crochet, and baking copious amounts of baked goods, but my main source of entertainment during lockdown was watching films. Of course, I had intended to become a proper film buff, but instead of tuning in to French art-house, I found myself gravitating towards the comingof-age genre.

Coming of age films encapsulate all the messy feelings that come with growing up, following a character on the precipice of adulthood as they move through the world and discover their place in it, and every emotion is heightened, every experience new. For me, they have become an escape from the reality of the world and offered me a chance to live the coming-of-age experience vicariously through these characters. Here are the three films that made me laugh, cry, and helped me come to terms with coming of age.

Booksmart (2019), directed by Olivia Wilde.

Booksmart follows two graduating best friends who have spent their entire high school years being studious and dedicated, only to realise they should have relaxed a bit more. They spend one night trying to make up for all that they’ve missed. This story hits home as those college years of socialising and partying, ‘the best years of our lives,’ have largely passed spent on Zoom. Inspired by this film, this semester, I intend to say yes at every opportunity and take every chance I can to make the most of the rest of my university experience.

The comical storyline evokes feelings of summers gone past The Young Offenders (2016), directed by Peter Foott.

This film follows another friendship duo, but these two are starkly different from the Booksmart girls. Based on the true story of Ireland’s biggest cocaine seizure, these dopey but lovable characters attempt to steal a bale in a get-rich-quick scheme. The comical storyline, care-free attitudes of the characters and brilliant soundtrack evokes feelings of summers gone past. As it is also set in Cork, my home university city, it cures my homesickness when it is at its worst, and introduces viewers to the best and oddest facets of Irish culture.

It explores both joy and tragedy Dead Poets Society (1989), directed by Peter Weir.

Dead Poets Society reminds me of how lucky I am to study what I love, to immerse myself in art and literature every day. This story of a group of students at a prestigious boys’ school, whose English teacher inspires them to see the beauty in life, to seize the day, invigorates me every time I watch it and encourages me to view the world through a new lens. It explores both joy and tragedy, and the catharsis it offers to the viewer makes it the perfect film to watch when you need a cry.

These films got me through the first two years of adulthood, guiding me over each bump in the road. They allowed me to relive my teenage years and reconcile with my interrupted coming of age, and I hope they can do the same for you.

/ˈkʌmɪŋ əv eɪdʒ /

‘The best years of our lives,’ have largely passed spent on Zoom

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/ˈkwɛsʧən/ 26

To read or to watch…that is the question

by Sara Zdravkovic

Books and films have been enemies ever since the beginning of time. Is there a way to mend the relationship?

Books have been around for thousands of years, passing on stories told a long time ago. While they still enjoy huge popularity from loyal readers, films have become their modern competitors. Throughout the pandemic, the discussion might have even been fuelled anew: While some people took advantage of online streaming platforms, others have always had a pile of books ready to choose from.

The choice has become even more difficult, now that many books have been reincarnated on screen.

You might ask yourself: “Does it really make a difference whether I go for the book or the film?”

The answer is: yes, it does. Of course, films that are based on books narrate the same story. But the tale is presented differently in many ways.

For starters, films have a set timeframe: the story must be told within two hours, which forces producers to shorten the story. As a consequence, some details get lost or must be left out. Books, however, don’t have such limits which allows for a much more detailed and elaborate story. The book “Slumdog Millionaire”, written by Vikas Swarup, was originally a story about a poor boy from India, who wins the jackpot in a quiz show.

Each chapter encapsulates a certain period of his biography and life in India. Howbeit, the film had to focus on the protagonist’s story, omitting many passages about India and its people. Partly to appeal to a broader audience, but mainly due to the set

timeframe.

Moreover, depending on your choice, your perspective changes: Watching a film means experiencing the story as a viewer. You can see what is happening, but the characters’ inner lives remain hidden. Books, on the other hand, can include everything. You read about the character’s thoughts, impressions and feelings. It’s like becoming one with the protagonist and seeing the world through their eyes.

A tragic book called “Me before you”

by Jojo Moyes is a poignant example: Moyes tells the heart-wrenching sto-

ry of two young people from the perspective of the female protagonist.

This allows for the reader to identify with the young woman and experience the plot from her side. The film, however, portrays both protagonists without giving a real insight into either perspective. The viewer “observes” the scene but cannot really identify with the characters as much as in the book.

/ˈkwɛsʧən/

“That’s the thing about books.

They let you travel without moving your feet.”

- Jhumpa Lahiri Also, you should ask yourself whether you prefer seeing or visualizing a story. In a film, the story unfolds while you are watching it.

The producers and actors bring their own version of a story to life, according to their imagination.

When reading a story, you are the one weaving the story: you develop your own idea of a character’s looks, the scenery and everything else. You produce your own unique film inside your head.

If you have read the Lord of the Rings, you surely have developed a certain

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idea about the world the characters live in and what the characters themselves might look like. In comparison, the film has already masterfully interpreted Tolkien’s story.

You can immediately dive into the fictional world, but the premisses are set. The film doesn’t leave room for your own vivid imagination.

However, books and films have one thing in common - apart from the stories they might tell together.

Both will allow you to escape reality for a while and let you travel to a different world. It’s up to you again: a book often demands more of your time. So, when you just want to immerse into a different world for a couple of hours and simply be entertained, a film should have you covered.

“Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theatre.”

- Roman Polanski If you are still torn, do both: read the book and watch the film, as they often complement each other.

After all, who says you have to decide on one?

/ˈriːdɪŋ/ 28

Reconnecting with the freedom of reading

by Lynn Weber

There is a certain comfort that you can only find inside a book. There is nothing better than the smell of a new book, the heart palpitations from a plot twist, or the reconnection with your favourite protagonist.

Nowadays there is a certain pressure that comes along with reading. If people find out that you like to read in your free time, they immediately jump into listing all kinds of books and make it seem as if you have to read them all, in order to be allowed to call yourself a reader. This becomes even worse when people find out that you are actually studying English literature because then you are expected to know all the classics, all the big names by heart. But is that really the case?

Shouldn’t reading just be fun?

Reading is something I just do for me I love to read. In my free time, it is impossible to find me without a book in hand. And therefore, I love owning a Kindle. Millions and millions of books, just a click away. Is there anything better in the world? My flat is starting to be overrun with books, so the Kindle is a big help, plus it fits in every handbag without taking up too much space.

For me, reading is an escape from the stress of university and from the strain social interactions can put on you. Reading is something I just do for me. Shouldn’t I be able to read what I want? Why is there this pressure to read the classics? Sometimes I don’t feel like reading something with a complicated plot, and I would rather lose myself in a fun romance novel that makes my heart ache in the best way possible.

Read something light and fun The part that most people forget is that as a literature student especially, you spend your days reading and analysing the classics. When you then go home in the evening and curl up on the couch with a book, all you want to do is read something light and fun.

However, it’s important to say that this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t read classics. One of my all-time favourite books is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. If I feel like reading a love story that makes me swoon, I need to escape to Pemberley and visit Mr. Darcy. Or if I feel like causing myself some heartache, I always reach for my copy of A Tale of Two Cities because there is no one who can make me cry like Sydney Carton. If I feel like questioning the world around me, I dig out my battered copy of A Handmaid’s Tale.

This feeling of comfort and of security is exactly why you should read and why you should read whatever you want. It isn’t important what people think you should read, it is important how you feel while you are reading. Whether that feeling is obtained with a book by Austen, Dickens or Atwood or whether it comes from the latest words of John Green or Nicolas Sparks. You should view reading as balm for your soul; no one else can tell you what your soul needs to reload. No one but you is allowed to tell you what to read.

/ˈriːdɪŋ/

Balm for your soul

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/fəˈtɒɡrəfɪ/

Why you should start analogue photography – a personal tale

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by Sarah Puchta

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.

– Elliott Erwitt When I was seventeen, my sister gifted me my first digital camera. I was so excited that I started photographing everything around me – the camera and I merged into one. I loved taking pictures of my surroundings, depicting everything the way I experienced it. But as time passed, and I got more into photography, I felt like something was missing. Even though I always took great care of the composition before hitting the shutter release, my photography felt fast-paced.

The first time I took my analogue camera for a spin, I was instantly hooked Ever since starting my journey, I have been fascinated by the idea of analogue photography. Inserting the film, thinking about the exposure time, waiting for the pictures to be developed. A few months back, the fascination got the better of me, and I bought an analogue camera. When it arrived, I was captivated by its beauty. I instantly started looking into the topic. I watched tons of videos, read articles and soaked everything in. I looked for inspiration on social media platforms and was baffled by the beauty. I felt like I had every possibility to express myself. That was the moment I started thinking about photography differently.

The first time I took my analogue camera for a spin, I was instantly hooked. I roamed through the city for hours, shooting the whole film because I couldn’t get enough of the experience. The feeling of composing the picture, setting the aperture, thinking about the exposure time, taking the shot, rewinding the film, and listening to the sound of

it being transported. Excitement was tickling through my whole body like electricity. When my film came back from the lab, I was thrilled. Opening the envelope felt like Christmas! And even though my first roll primary consisted of shaky pictures which were over- or underexposed, the few good shots made me feel amazing.

Photography is about reconnecting with yourself. It is about showing the world how you see it I know that the variety of cameras and their different settings can be overwhelming, trust me, I’ve been there. But the joy after starting is so much bigger than the intimidation you’re feeling right now. Photography is about reconnecting with yourself. It is about showing the world how you see it. Analogue photography has a lovely simplicity, which is nice in a world where everything feels fast-paced. An analogue camera isn’t that different from a digital one. It takes you by the hand and brings you back to the basics, to the reason why you started.

For me, getting into analogue photography was like reconnecting with myself. Taking one of my analogue cameras for a spin is a way of decelerating my life. And I think, it could be for you too. So, open eBay Kleinanzeigen and get started – you won’t regret it.

by Marie Hoffmann

Are you struggling to decide on which museum to go to in Munich? Or don’t see how ancient art is still relevant? Maybe this article can help you find inspiration.

We are currently experiencing long-closed places reopening and once again welcoming visitors. Thinking about visiting all my favourite museums made me consider other museums I might not have had the chance to see. To get some advice not only for myself but also for other students who might want to spend a rainy afternoon in a museum, I sat down to talk with the art historian Alex Koch to get an expert’s take on museums in Munich.

“There are two ways to consider your time in a museum,” she said when I asked her how to prepare for a visit to a museum. “You can go in unprepared and really get a lot out of just wandering around and having direct responses to what you see and that can be a lovely day. But if you want to get ready for a special exhibition or show, googling up the artist or the period before you go can make your experience rich.” To her, going to see the Medieval sculptures in the Bayerische Nationalmuseum becomes much more special if you’ve looked up some key facts about Romanesque and Gothic art in Europe. “And then go to the museum and be blown away.”

“Think more about the Ancient and Medieval collections”

“If you’ve never seen Durer’s self-portrait, you’re not an educated person.”

I asked Alex about artists connected to Munich to read up on. “Because we have such a great collection of the Blaue Reiter at the Lehnbachhaus, you might want to research these artists, like Kandinsky, Muenther, Jawlensky and Werefkin,” especially in regard to the new third floor collection devoted to them. When I asked whether there are many young people in museums, Alex replied: “I think young people tend to end up in more contemporary exhibitions. I see more young people on my tours at the Haus der Kunst than at the Alte Pinakothek. Therefore I am reminding you to also think more about the Ancient and Medieval collections – not to forget them because they are also very rich in Munich.”

Keeping all this in mind, enjoy your next visit to Munich‘s galleries and museums!

When I asked her about what permanent exhibitions she would recommend, Alex explained: “Munich is incredibly rich in museums. We have something for everyone from the whole history of art. So, if you’ve never been to the Egyptian museum, it’s an excellent place to start for ancient art.”

Apart from Egypt, “we also have incredibly strong Greek and Roman art in this town because Ludwig I was a great collector of classical things.” She recommends the Glyptothek and Antike Sammlung, “then the Alte Pinakothek and the Bayerische Nationalmuseum for the continuing story of art out of the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. If you’ve never seen Durer’s self-portrait, you’re not an educated person.

And it’s in our ‘Alte Pinakothek’! So you’ve gotta go!”

To her, the most underrated museum is the Bayerische Nationalmuseum with its giant collection of objects and sculptures. “You could combine it with a trip to the Eisbach and then go into that giant museum that looks like a castle and be very surprised.”

/mjuˈziːəmz/

“Is this art, or … ?” (Re-) connecting with Munich’s art museums

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/mju(ː)ˈzɪʃənʃɪp/ 32

Amateur musicianship during and after COVID

by Alan Schroeder

It is all very simple: You learn an instrument, take it seriously, practise hard, join a band or orchestra, rehearse and then perform.

The Corona-virus changed everything. Suddenly there was no longer a stage and rehearsals were forbidden. Now you simply practised for yourself, no longer in order to perform. Of course, you could upload videos of yourself playing, but that was just not the same as performing in real life, standing in front of a real audience which was full of expectation and interest in the music. With your video camera you have a thousand takes to get it right; on stage you just have to play flawlessly, there is no second chance. In 2020, there was lots of time to practise, but there were no goals.

Concerts in 2021 - is it all how it used to be?

Even though everyone was hoping for improvements in 2021, only a small proportion of the planned concerts took place. Being a drummer and percussionist in both classical and popular music, I too was desperate to get back on stage. Fortunately I managed to do so three times in 2021 with Junge Muenchner Symphoniker, during the months May and July. Of course I was ecstatic about being allowed to play again and also rehearse with the orchestra again. The rehearsals for these concerts were seriously stressful. Not only was there the usual time pressure and will to get it right, but also the worry about whether all of the orchestra members were abiding by the rules. Furthermore, the program was shorter, because a break in the concert was not allowed. As social distancing had to be practised, the Junge Muenchner Symphoniker had to find rooms large enough so that all members could sit two metres apart. Players of wind instruments of course took their masks off, the rest of us had to leave them on. Playing with as mask on is strenuous, because of the rather unrhythmical breaths you are taking while playing.

Social distancing in concerts The distancing rule also applied to the stage, which is why the Herkulessaal was booked for all of our concerts, as it is one of very few places in Munich with a stage large enough to accommodate a medium-sized orchestra with big gaps between the musicians. The audience also had to keep a distance from each other, hence the hall’s capacity was a quarter of its usual capacity and ticket prices climbed rapidly.

I must say, standing on the stage looking down at empty seats with small groups of people was rather disappointing; it really is not what you would expect when you play a concert. Of course, not only the feeling when looking at the audience is weird, the sound of the orchestra changes drastically. Concert halls are designed to have orchestras playing with lots of people sitting in the audience,

have orchestras playing with lots of people sitting in the audience, the sound spreads differently and there is more of an echo when the hall is half empty.

After the COVID-pandemic: Spring 2022 Thankfully, things have changed. Musicians and audience members need no longer leave big distances, enabling us to socialize and play music together. The rehearsals are lively again, with musicians interacting with each other while they are playing. With fuller concert halls and breaks in the middle of concerts, the sound and the vibe is the way it used to be, this is a true relief after the times we have had.

“It’s like the stage is where it all happens, it’s where the music lives.”

(Tosin Abasi, guitarist in the band Animals as Leaders)

/naɪn ˈjʊərəʊ ˈtɪkɪt/

The 9 € ticket – curse or blessing?

by Sarah Puchta

As summer is approaching, and we are able to go on adventures again, the 9 € ticket felt like a blessing. Being able to travel through whole Germany with such a small amount money? For those who are used to DB prices, this sounds like music in their ears. But is the 9 € ticket really a blessing or can it rather be considered as a curse – a short comment.

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I couldn’t wait for June to come The day the 9 € ticket was finalized I called all my friends who live so far away that I would normally have to take an ICE. Being able to visit them all, without paying what feels like my monthly salary, made me so excited that I couldn’t wait for June to come. But with my first journey to Bayreuth – which is about three hours away from Munich and one of the closest places on my bucket list – I quickly realized that my travels would be more adventurous than I thought.

Security personnel were overwhelmed Since I expected trains to be crowded, I took an earlier connection than originally planned, with the Regional Bahn leaving the central station at around eight a.m. on a very warm Saturday morning. To cut two train changes and three hours of travels short: The word crowded is an understatement. It took me five minutes to get from one platform to the other because there were so many people. Security personnel were overwhelmed, conductors were telling people to not get on, since the trains were full, people were standing in the aisles.

The 9€ ticket is a blessing which could have used more preparation time Hearing where everyone was going felt like sharing a big adventure I arrived in Bayreuth on time, without having missed a single connection. And even though that my journey was stressful, sweaty, and uncomfortable it was actually a great experience. Throughout my ride, I talked to a lot of lovely people, made a new friend, and laughed a lot. There was excitement sizzling through the air, replacing the air conditioning, which didn’t work anyways. Hearing where everyone was going felt like sharing a big adventure.

Due to the lack of staff and preparation it was simply not possible to deal with all the passengers on such a warm weekend. But trains won’t always be so full, and the weather won’t always be so good. My travels mirrored an extreme instead of an everyday situation. For me the crowds proved that a lot of people are willing to use public transport if it is affordable. The 9€ ticket is a blessing which could have used more preparation time. Of course, it still has a long way to go but if the 9€ ticket shows one thing, then it is that affordable prices are to everybody’s benefits and should be retained in the future. The 9 € ticket shouldn’t be the end of affordable public transport but rather the beginning.

/ɪˈræzməs/

Say Yes to the Erasmus

by Ciara O’Connor

An introverted Irish Erasmus student’s experience in Munich.

34 I am the type of introvert that is scared of asking for extra ketchup, has never struck up a conversation with a stranger and would rather sacrifice myself to the gods than speak up in a seminar. So, you can imagine my friends’ and family’s surprise when I told them that I was going to be studying abroad in Germany for a full year. “Are you sure?” “Do you think you’re up to it?” One would think I had entered myself into the Hunger Games. But, with my amateur German, my fear of strangers and my lack of street smarts, it was a fair reaction. Regardless, mid-October, with 6 credits from an online German class already under my belt, I set off to Munich, unaware of how much I would change in the next few months.

Although I had already visited Germany, actually living here, especially in Bavaria, was a shock to the system. My first week, I found myself frequently taking the U-bahn in the wrong direction or missing my stop because I was distracted by Duolingo’s attempts to teach me ‘The dog is in the fridge’ auf Deutsch. Bavarian terms and phrases caught me off guard, and I had to train myself to say ‘Gerne’ ’ rather than ‘Bitte’ when people thanked me for holding doors open for them.

My classmates were rapping their knuckles on the table in unison Some of my classes were in person, which I was delighted about as I got to explore the college buildings, and, inevitably, get lost in them. I discovered traditions I had never heard of - at the end of my first in-person class, I jumped at what I thought was a roll of thunder outside, only to realise that my classmates were rapping their knuckles on the table in unison, to say thank you for the class. Now, as the lecturer wraps up their final thoughts, my fist is hovering above the table without a second thought.

The same week, I took an ESN trip to Chiemsee with some people from my German class and about 50 Erasmus students. I ended up chatting with people from Russia, Romania, China, as well as the organisers of the trip.

They were students, Munich locals, who shared with us knowledge about the German university system, extracurricular clubs, and reassured us about the size of the county: “Bavaria is tiny,” they said, “only the size of Ireland!” How comforting.

Truly, pushing myself out of my comfort zone and moving to Munich for the year has been the best thing I could have chosen to do, allowing me to make new friends from around the world, to immerse myself in German and Bavarian culture, and to have a new thing to do every weekend that broadens my experience and worldview.

I would say yes to every opportunity I had to broaden my horizons I decided, in order to get the most out of studying abroad, that I would say yes to every opportunity I had to broaden my horizons. So, in my very first week in Munich, I spontaneously went for dinner with people from my student accommodation, whom I had never met, all from different countries.

Delicious food, German beer and conversations about culture, government and, most importantly, TV, in our respective countries was incredibly enlightening. To my surprise, I would continue to accept invitations to eat with strangers many more times in the future - yes me, a certified introvert!

The Erasmus Student Network of Munich was my saving grace the first few months of my stay here. The trips and events they arranged allowed me to act as both a tourist and a local, experiencing everything Munich, and Bavaria in general, has to offer.

/ɪˈræzməs/

“Bavaria is tiny,” they said, “only the size of Ireland!”

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/ˈlət͡səbuə̯ɕ/

Small country, big history

by Lynn Weber

Reconnecting with the history of Luxembourg: A local’s guide to four places you need to see at least once.

36 In between Germany, France and Belgium dwells a small country that tends to be forgotten: the GrandDuchy of Luxembourg. It only has about 650,000 residents and an approximate size of 2500 km2. But the country’s rich history makes up for what it lacks in size. Here are four testaments to that.

Bourscheid Castle If it’s peace and quiet you’re looking for, then you’ll be impressed by the Castle of Bourscheid, the largest castle in the country. This castle is located in north-eastern Luxembourg, standing about 150 meters above the river Sûre. It was built for the House of Bourscheid and its construction with its 11 impressive watchtowers was finished in 1430. In 1626 the House of Metternich took over. After the French Revolution ended feudal power in the region, it was abandoned in the 19th century, causing large parts to fall into ruins. Bourscheid Castle has a beautiful hiking trail that offers you a magnificent view of the valley next to the castle. This hiking trail is a bit of an insider tip, so you won’t find many tourists there, which in return means that it tends to be a quiet and calming environment. So, if you would like to just get away from everything and be one with nature, the hiking trail around Bourscheid Castle is exactly what you need.

Vianden Castle For sheer beauty and grandeur, you can’t beat the Castle of Vianden. This is one of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine and is located in the North of Luxembourg. You can spot the castle from quite a distance, as it stands at a height of 310 meters. The castle was constructed between the 11th and the 14th century, showcasing the Romanesque and Gothic architecture styles of the time. During the 16th century, the castle became the property of the House of Nassau. Today the castle has been ceded to the State and has been fully restored. The Castle in Vianden is probably the most well-known castle in Luxembourg and its surroundings because of its beauty. The village of Vianden is located in less populated part of Luxembourg, which means that you get to take a scenic drive through hills and forests to reach it.

The little village with the beautiful castle looming over it, looks like something straight out of a Disney film, making you wait for Belle to make an appearance. Since my family comes from this area of Luxembourg, this is probably the castle, where I spent most of my time running around with a tiara imagining life as a princess.

/ˈlət͡səbuə̯ɕ/

Clervaux Castle If you’re looking for a hidden gem, then you won’t be disappointed with the Castle of Clervaux in the very North of the country. The Castle of Clervaux stands at a height of 365 meters and dates back to the 12th century. It was nearly completely destroyed during the Second World War but has now been fully restored and rebuilt.

Today it houses an exhibition of photographs called “Family of Men” by Edward Steichen. This is a castle that is not talked about enough in my opinion. Even within Luxembourg, this castle tends to be forgotten. In the city of Clervaux, you can find many restaurants with beautiful patios to enjoy the sun on. The city and the castle are once again surrounded by forests, and also hiking trails.

A daytrip to Clervaux could start with a morning hike, lunch in one of the many restaurants and an afternoon in the Castle.

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Fortress of Luxembourg Finally, let’s look at the Fortress of Luxembourg in the capital city of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. These fortifications were built over the span of nine centuries, gradually gaining in size and strength. Luxembourg was known as one of Europe’s strongest fortresses by the end of the Renaissance, but more constructions in the 17th and 18th centuries made it fearsome. The fortress was given the nickname “Gibraltar of the North” because of its alleged impregnability. In 1994, the fortress as well as parts of the city’s old quarter were listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What makes the fortress of Luxembourg even more interesting is its location in the middle of Luxembourg’s capital city: the juxtaposition of constructions made in the 17th century, of modern buildings and restaurants and bars. In Luxembourg City old and new flow together and form a beautiful city.

The Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg is the first country worldwide to offer free public transport to everyone, which makes these places easily accessible for everyone. Another advantage is the country’s size; no matter where you find yourself inside Luxembourg, it never takes more than an hour to reach any of the four places just described. Furthermore, the fact that these places were all built on a higher level allows the views to be spectacular all year around.

This is the beauty of Luxembourg, it has so many little villages and valleys that are forgotten and that can therefore offer you the calm and quiet that I sometimes need to be able to work through my thoughts and emotions, and just reconnect with myself and nature.

/blʲaː ˈkʲlʲɪə/

A guide to Baile Átha Cliath on a small budget

by Annika Fischer

How you can have a great time in Dublin with little money – my own experiences and tips from locals.

38

Fun Facts about Ireland • • • •

They have won the Eurovision Song Contest an amazing seven times!

The earliest evidence of humans in Ireland was in 10,500 BC. Although it rains more often than not, the Irish never take an umbrella with them.

Many people have Irish names and every student learns Gaeilge at school. Most places have both an English and an Irish name.

Why Dublin? I lived there for six months while working as a teaching assistant at a secondary school. I would have never wanted to miss this great experience. My stay was not only a personal gain but also an academic one.

The Irish are friendly, open-minded, helpful and laid-back and their hospitality helped me form an attachment to the city. Unfortunately, Dublin is not exactly one of the cheapest cities in Europe. So here are some of my tips to make your trip more affordable.

Want to escape the busy city life while being in the city?

Marks&Spencer located on Grafton Street has a rooftop terrace where you can enjoy the sun. They usually have tempting offers, e.g. get a Cappuccino for free when ordering a sandwich. Also, they have toilet facilities. Speaking of toilets, Brown Thomas on Grafton Street also has free toilet facilities on the top floor.

1. Public transport Every bus ride costs €3 (cash only) – however, you could save money by getting a Leap Visitor Card or Student Leap Card which requires an international student identity card. It includes buses, the tram – known as the LUAS – and the DART – the Dublin Area Rapid Transport. And do not forget to signal to the bus driver.

2. Visit Dublin Castle There is a lovely Christmas market during wintertime.

3. Borrow a bicycle and go on a tour in Phoenix Park It is the third biggest park in Europe. You could bring a towel and have a picnic in front of the monument. Do not miss the deer!

4. Go on a walking tour through Dublin - St. Stephen’s Green - Trinity College - Temple Bar Area - Love Lane . Christ Church 5. Get a coffee in Butlers Chocolate Café and enjoy a praline of your choice – it is free!

6. Go on an utterly magnificent cliff walk in Howth The DART takes you to Howth within 25 minutes – enjoy a stunning cliff walk to the lighthouse. There is also the chance to go down to the beach – nothing for the faint-hearted, though. On the way back you could either walk or take the bus and have Fish and Chips in Leo Burdock’s (recommended by my host family and approved by me).

7. Visit Dun Laoghaire Sandycove beach Every Sunday there is a food market in front of the library.

8. Participate in a Pub Quiz in Sin É and comedy evenings in Café International You can also join in the performance.

9. Enjoy party life in Dublin Clubbing without an entry fee: The pub Bad Bobs, which is close to Temple Bar, provides live music and has five floors.

Dicey’s Garden: great party location with a big outside area and low-priced drinks and food (not vegetarian I am afraid). Check their website and buy cheaper tickets online.

Keen on travelling to Dublin? Check out Aer Lingus, Ryanair and Lufthansa. Outside the school holidays, they usually have great offers.

Have loads of craic!

/blʲaː ˈkʲlʲɪə/

Definitely worth knowing

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/pænˈdemɪk/ 40

ICP Panic during the Pandemic

by Lena Kriegmair

The pandemic put a strain on many families – for me, however, the unique circumstances allowed me to reconnect with mine.

In 2020, like many second-semester students in English studies, I hadn’t completed the mandatory stay abroad we have to undertake in order to graduate. But I had already mapped out where I wanted to go and sent out applications to the companies I could have imagined myself working for during my stay abroad.

Everything would have gone smoothly, hadn’t there been the teeny, tiny problem of a global pandemic taking place. Because of this, my, as well as most other students’ travel plans, had to be postponed for an indefinite amount of time, which was a bit unfortunate but definitely understandable given the circumstances. Unlike most others however, I was in the extremely fortunate position that I have family in the UK and Ireland, and thus it was comparatively easy for me to plan for my ICP as soon as the vaccines became available.

After an exuberant amount of Covid-related paperwork, several tests and almost daily updated regulations, as well as several small panic attacks when it looked like the plane wouldn’t leave the airport or that I would be stuck in transit, I safely arrived in Sheffield and was welcomed by my lovely Great Aunt Mary and Great Uncle Tony.

I actually hadn’t seen them in years, and had it not been for the pandemic I probably wouldn’t have gone there for my ICP either, so it was basically thanks to the extremely special circumstances that I got to spent so much time with them. And the months I spent with them truly were amazing. We went to loads of museums and castles together; we visited gardens and open air theatres and even went to 5k runs together. I did the housework and helped in their garden and the allotment and even worked as a waitress in a café in their hometown, and they did everything they could to make sure I had a good time and not get bored. And the best thing was, during my stay there, I got to know so many relatives I didn’t even know existed. It is an amazing experience to connect with family members I never even had the chance to talk to before and form bonds which I cherish to this day.

Now, almost exactly one year later, I still have regular video calls with them and also keep in touch with many more of my English side of the family, all thanks to the pandemic. These peculiar circumstances allowed me to reconnect with my family from overseas, for which I am eternally grateful, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

/səʊl/

Seoul Searching

by Lena Horlbeck

In summer of 2021, I spent a semester studying in Seoul at Sogang university. I would love to share the amazing experiences I had in the city.

Visit Seoul and experience your first ever time travel! Once you arrive in Korea you might be up to two years older than you are in your home country because of the unique way Koreans count their age. Right at birth, you are already one year old in the Korean system, and you then turn one year older each New Year’s. This was only one of many other interesting cultural differences which surprised me when I spent a semester studying there. Korean culture is incredibly fascinating, and the city of Seoul is simply amazing. In this short article I will show you what you need to do and see in Seoul: Try the mouthwatering food Korean cuisine is very diverse and has numerous amazing meals to offer. However, the one food you must not miss is called Tteokbokki. It is a rice cake cooked in a spicy red sauce. The vendors in the countless street cars around the city sell a serving for as little as 2€!

Visit Lotte World Tower The view over the city from the platform of the 555-meter-high tower is breathtaking. The building is located in the business district called Gangnam. You might remember it from Psy’s 2012 megahit ‘Gangnam style’.

Rent a bike and eat ramen at the Han river Having a picnic at Han river might be the most popular activity for Koreans during the summer. All along the river, you will find beautiful, clean parks and a bike lane that allows you to cycle from one side of the city to the other. If you ever feel hungry, just stop at one of the many convenience stores along the way and get yourself some ramen, Koreans’ favorite snack! In every convenience store, you will find little machines where you can freshly cook your ramen.

Visit the Bukchon Hanok village The historic neighborhood will give you a glimpse into the old Seoul. It is even possible to enter a Hanok house as part of the Seoul Museum of History. The village with its countless small alleys and well-preserved traditional houses is the perfect place to stroll around.

Do a sunrise hike Within the Seoul city borders, you will find four mountains. All of them are easy to climb and offer a spectacular view over the city skyline. However, the best view has to be on Ansan mountain at sunrise.

Seoul is a vibrant city that has a lot to offer. No matter if you are looking for an exciting city trip or an adventurous hiking holiday, this city will not disappoint you.

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/ˌmægəˈziːn/ 42

My reconnection is... ... my museum tickets, because I can finally look Dürer straight in the eyes again! … a plastic wristband because it means that we can finally go back to festivals and parties. ... my writing, as it’s how I share space with my loved ones, and how I express wonder, care, and frustration. … my backpack because I can finally go on adventures again. … my art gallery mug, because I am so glad to be out in the world experiencing art and culture again. … Munich, as I cannot wait to explore it and meet my friends at university. ... my lipstick, because we can finally see the smiles again. … enjoying summer evenings outside with friends and a chill bottle of beer. … my analogue camera, because it provides a lovely simplicity in a stressful world. ... my drawing book, because I can relax and get into a meditative space. … my Kindle because it allows me to escape reality and reconnect with myself. … my pair of drumsticks, as playing music together with others is what I love to do. … with my English family, represented through this ring which my aunt made for me. … my purple water bottle. It means I am back in the classroom!

/ˌmægəˈziːn/

A word about /magazine/ What a delight to be back in Schelling Straße! After four editions of the magazine on Zoom, it was wonderful to be able to work again face-to-face and to get the real classroom buzz of something organic developing. And develop it did. So many exciting ideas which were considered, revised, accepted – and then written and edited and finally published. There was a great team with a great vision of reconnecting – something that had immediate resonance for us all. Thanks to the whole team! And special thanks to the editorial team – Clara, Alan and Ciara; our talented photographer and cover-designer Sarah P and of course you wouldn’t be reading this without the sterling efforts of Alessia our strong-nerved and patient lay-outer.

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Re-connecting can be different in different situation. Sometimes it’s subtle, like catching a whiff of someone’s perfume on the streets and remembering somebody who used to wear it too. Other times it’s violent, like a sudden brusque sound tearing you away from your daydreaming.

Sometimes it feels like a familiarity has returned to cure wounds and heal souls. Like swimming in the ocean after having spent a year away. And other times again it feels foreign and awkward and takes time to adjust, like wearing your favorite pair of jeans after they’ve been in the wash.

It catches you off guard, surprises you, like finding a spot that feels like home though you have never been there before.And, at the same time, you know exactly where to find it, tracing back the steps you paved in your youth, the ones you could take with your eyes closed, the ones that take you to the places you had turned into your home a long time ago.

Read more: https://untoldstoriesmuc.de

We would like to thank Anglumni for their support and generosity in funding us.

Thank you also to the Anglistik department of LMU Munich.

If you have any questions or comments, or if you would like information about how to join for the eighth edition, please contact me: vivienne.arnold@lmu.de

Copyright: pp. 4-5: S. Zdravkovic; pp. 8-9: L. Kriegmair; p. 10: C. Schmidt; p. 12: S. Abdul-Rahman; p.12: C. Schmidt, p. 13: S. Abdul-Rahman; pp. 14-15: C. Engler; p. 16: M. Hoffmann; p. 17: L. Kriegmair; p. 18: A. Fischer; p.19: A. Fischer, pexels.com; p. 20: A. Schroeder, p. 21: Paul Zenner/ Muenchen 2022; p. 22: A. Schroeder; p. 23: S. Abdul- Rahman; pp. 24-25: C. O‘ Connor; pp. 26-27: S. Zdravkovic; pp. 28-29: L. Weber; p. 30:S. Puchta; p. 31: M. Hoffmann; p. 32: Junge Muenchner Symphoniker/ Janina Hettasch 2022; p. 33: V.Arnold; pp. 34-35: C. O‘ Connor; pp. 36-37: L. Weber; pp. 38-39: A. Fischer; p. 40: L. Kriegmair; p. 41: L.Horlbeck; pp. 4, 6, 7, 11: unsplash.com

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