summer – eMag Uni Augsburg

Wroclaw

It’s summertime! Courses are slowly coming to an end, leaving us tortured by exams, term papers and other deadlines. With such a perspective, it can be difficult to make time for a long vacation and get away from it all, not to mention that the budget could also be a bit of a problem here. So I would like to present to you a time- and budget-friendly option to escape from uni madness and free your mind, if only for a while.

You might be asking yourself why, of all great cities in Europe, I chose to write about Wroclaw. Although I was born in Warsaw and grew up in Germany, I’ve spent all my summers in Wroclaw with my grandparents. The city has always meant a lot to me and I feel like it’s not getting enough recognition, especially among younger people. If you’re planning to visit Poland some time, and have Warsaw or Gdansk in mind, let me tell you that Wroclaw is a much better alternative and has a lot more to offer, especially for university students.

Mind the dwarfs

724 kms north-east of our beloved Augsburg lies a city packed with culture, delicious food, craft beer and dwarfs. Dwarfs? Why yes one of Wroclaw’s trademarks is little dwarf statues, which are spread all around the city. They can serve as a guideline to explore the city or just be stumbled upon while walking around freely. Just make sure to keep an eye out for them.

Another thing about Wroclaw is that people tend to call it the Amsterdam of Poland, and as soon as you arrive in the city you will immediately know why. The Odra and its canals beautifully wind through the city, making it explorable from the water and giving the city an amazing Venice-like flair.

Ice-cold refreshments

Summer is one of the best times to travel and explore new cities, but what if it gets too hot? Well worry not, there are a lot of different ice-cream shops around the city, among them Ice Rolls Wroclaw. Made right before your eyes, the fresh, creamy deliciousness will not only cool you down but make you enjoy ice cream in an entirely new way.

After you’ve stopped for your ice cream and continue your city stroll, you’re but a few steps away from the marketplace, Wroclaw’s most magical spot (in my opinion, one of the most beautiful city squares in Europe). If you’re lucky, you might be just in time for one of the fairs that take place there and which can last up to a week.

Students’ (night) life

All this might sound really touristy and mainstream, so why write about it in a student magazine and make it sound so special? Well, one thing I noticed is that Wroclaw lives for and because of its many local and foreign students. There are a lot of great things to do during the day, but at night an entirely new side of the city comes to life. So grab a fancy cocktail, sitting on the market square with a view of the illuminated town hall or enjoy locally-brewed craft beer in one of the many different types of pubs. With a little luck, you might be able to land a pint for 2,50 zl, which is roughly 70 cents. Or if you’re not the beer type, you might want to stop by Czupito, a shot bar with an astonishing variety of mind-blowing shots. Of course, you can combine all this and go on a crazy pub crawl and even end up in one of the university’s dorms at a house party with people from all around the world drinking polish wodka and eating dill pickles.

So if you’re still struggling to decide where to go on a short trip, take Wroclaw into consideration. I promise it is worth the trip!

Author & Pictures: Aleksandra Goralska

Five things I hate about summer – and five things to make it all a little more bearable

Confession time: I hate summer. I know full well that I’m in the minority here, but it’s just what it is. It’s also not a very recent development for me, so I can’t really blame climate change or so. I know, though, that a lot of different things come into play which make me hate the favorite season of the majority of the population.

The most obvious reason is, of course, the heat. My favorite temperature is somewhere between 13° and 18°. In summer, it seems like it’s 30+° most of the time. There’s just no middle ground anymore. The thing is I’d be totally able to deal with it if it wasn’t so humid. This is what makes the heat so unbearable.

And this brings me to my third point. As a consequence of the heat and the humidity, I sweat. Yet I always seem to be the only one. Other people don’t suddenly have a very shiny forehead or little rivers running down their necks, slowly making their way down the back, even though they are not doing anything that could possibly lead to sweating. I, of course, do have to deal with both. All the time.

Number four on my list of most hated things about summer would be spiders and bugs. Bugs simply bug me. German bugs more than others, though. In other countries, they seem to leave me alone most of the time. In Germany, they seem to attack me the moment I step outside, but, of course, they also don’t leave me alone when I’m inside either. They’re just always there. What makes it all so much worse is that outside they find a way in my mouth, even though I have my lips pressed tight together, and inside they have a tendency to drown in whatever drink I have standing on the table. It doesn’t even have to be something sweet like orange juice or lemon water. They’re just as alright with dying in a regular glass of sparkling water. Apparently, they really like the added thrill of the bubbles.

Finally, number five is that everybody all of a sudden flocks outside like a bunch of summer zombies. I actually spend a significant amount of time outside all year round, so naturally I wonder: where are all these people in winter?
So in case anyone feels the same way I do about summer, here are five tips to get through it all relatively unscathed:

Obviously, you should make the air condition or your fan your new best friend.
Don’t take a cold shower. This only heats up your body way faster afterwards.
Insect repellents are your second best friend 😉
Always look in your glass before you drink, you never know what’s floating on top.
Count down the days ’till September 1st, the magical day of meteorological start of fall 🙂

Finally, hang in there: it’s going to be autumn soon.

Author & Pictures: Alisa Lechky

Augsburger Sommernächte

Thousands of people in the streets. The streets turn into stages. Different squares turn into dancing areas. In the centre of the city people, feast and dance to various sounds. Well, let me tell you what I’m talking about: the Augsburger Sommernächte. This event took place for the second time this year from Thursday June 28th until July 1st. For those of you who participated this year it should be crystal clear why it’s definitely worth a visit. For all those who don’t know why they should actually go there, I’ll give a few convincing reasons. But first of all, some of you may not even know what the Augsburger Sommernächte are…

What is it?

Augsburger Sommernächte is probably the largest party in the whole of Augsburg and the surrounding region. Some restaurants and bars spill into the streets, and sell all kind of foods you’ve never dreamt of. The nightly entertainment also keeps the place bustling: all over the city thirteen areas present nearly every imaginable kind of music! From mainstream to HipHop straight to Indie – everybody of all ages get their money’s worth. From the Königplatz over the Maxstraße to the Rathausplatz – the whole city is a party, and takes place from 5pm to 1am.

A few reasons why..

It’s not just like one party, but many morphed into one! You can spend quality time with your friends under the clear night sky, because who doesn’t prefer a party under the stars instead of spending the night in a muggy club? The Sommernächte also gives you the chance to meet new people. Everybody’s in a good mood and always ready for a chat! Apart from this social aspect, what is really cool is that the Neue Szene presents newcomers. Not only young bands try to entertain the people with their music, but also poetry slammers who try to catch the listener’s attention with their own texts.

Next to the small stages that are spread all over the Maxstraße, you’ll find delicious food from all over the world. It’s like a mini street food market. These smells of freshly made falafel, curry and burgers make you think you’re on holiday in Ibiza. All of these new impressions are so overwhelming that you will need to go there again in order to see everything! Unlike an expensive holiday, the Sommernächte don’t cost anything (but you’re not allowed to take any kind of food or drinks with you).

Save the date!

So, I’ve not completely convinced you? Take a look yourself! Next year the Sommernächte will take place from 28th June to 1st July. So what are you waiting for? Take out your calendars and mark the date!

Author: Chiara Leick

Pictures: CIA Veranstaltungs GmbH

Independence Day: The fourth of July

If you happen to spend the 4^th July with a bunch of Americans today, you will most likely be having a backyard barbeque with burgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, coleslaw and watermelon, the juicy ripe red watermelon everyone loves and can’t get enough of. All of this is often served on paper plates. Cans of beer, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, Snapples, Coke or Pepsi are kept in cooling bins full of crushed ice. Perhaps little paper flags or streamers displaying the typical colors of the Star-Spangled Banner will be part of the decoration.

Maybe the town will offer picnic and barbeque opportunities at some public area. Baseball games, parades, concerts and other summertime events mark this national holiday. Politicians might even appear at different celebrations holding speeches on all kinds of freedoms. Most likely there will be fireworks, too, in honor of the birthday of the United States of America.

Although Independence Day is a significant American holiday, it doesn’t dominate the summer as Thanksgiving and Christmas dominate the fall and winter season. For instance, there are no greeting cards in the stores. Along with beach parties, family trips and BBQs that dot the summer months, the Fourth of July is one of many typical summer events. School will have been out for a month already and another month and a half to go.

But what is Independence Day originally about?

The English established their first permanent settlement in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. By 1733 there were 13 English colonies: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island. These colonies were ruled by the King of England, King George III. Over time the relationship between the settlers and the British began to crumble due to unfair laws and taxes and the growing sense of nationalism in the colonies. In short: people didn’t want to be ruled by a king so far away.

A letter to King George III

The Continental Congress – a meeting of delegates from the thirteen colonies – appointed five leaders, called the Committee of Five. They were meant to write the King a formal letter. These five men were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman and Thomas Jefferson. Their letter explained why Congress had voted to declare Independence. This Declaration of Independence contained three essential points:

Beliefs of what made a government good
The dislike of the oppressive government
Break with Great Britain

On July 4^th, 1776 Congress officially adopted the final version of the Declaration of Independence. On August 2^nd, all 56 delegates of the Continental Congress signed it.

A holiday is born

Following its adoption, the Declaration of Independence went viral in various cities, by word-of-mouth, being read aloud before troops and published in newspapers or delivered on horseback and by ship. Whenever heard, people shouted and cheered.

People continued this tradition by lighting candles, setting off fire crackers, firing guns and ringing bells.

Finally, Congress declared July 4^th a federal holiday in 1941.

Author & Picture: Elisabeth Stützel

Summer in the city

Are you still looking for cool things to do in Augsburg to enjoy this wonderful weather?

There are tons of fun things, like sitting on Rathausplatz and having some ice-cream, going strawberry picking, visiting the zoo, lying by the Lech, taking part in the Augsburger Sommernächte, and so on. So here are my top four summer destinations in Augsburg…

Lechflimmern

If you want to watch a movie, but you feel bad staying inside when it’s hot, Lechflimmern is right for you. It’s an open-air cinema at the Familienbad am Plärrer, which shows movies every day in July outside on a big screen. Unfortunately, you can’t take any food or something to drink, so you have to buy it there. Chairs are set up for you, but you can also bring a blanket to sit on. The doors open at 8pm and the movie starts when the sun sets. This summer, there are movies like Die Schöne und das Biest, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 or Baywatch (they’re all in German only). You can look up their complete programme on the website.

Wertach + Kulperhütte

Cycle to the Wertach, which flows through Augsburg. You can relax and have something to eat and drink at the Kulperhütte, a beer garden in Göggingen with deckchairs, cool drinks and delicious food, such as vegetarian cuisine, traditional Bavarianand pastries (I recommend their fries, which are really good!) Or you take your own food and have a picnic at the Wertach. Tip: take some home-made iced tea and impress your friends.

Sonnendeck

This is where I really get into the summer mood, a kind of holidayfeeling, with my feet in the sand and a cocktail in my hand. Every summer the roof terrace at Parkhaus Ludwigstraße is filled with sand. There are deckchairs, music, food and cool drinks for a perfect mix of rooftop- and beach party without having to pay admission.

Kuhsee, Proviantbach, Plärrerbad

If you like swimming and sunbathing, you should definitely check out these three places!

First there is the Kuhsee, a lake in Augsburg-Hochzoll, which has a large lawn, where lots of people, young and old, enjoy sunbathing, having barbecues or playing frisbee, badminton and volleyball.

Then there is Proviantbach, which is a cold-water stream. You get in and don’t even have to swim because the current takes you as far as you like. Every fifty meters you can get out by climbing up a ladder. I recommend only going there when it’s very hot outside because the water is really chilly, which is perfect for hot summer days.

If you prefer heated water, I recommend the Familienbad am Plärrer, which has five different pools for every age.

So go for it! And have a great time!

Author: Julia Messing
Images: Julia Messing and Eva Sitzberger