It's Happening Mi Gente!!!

Because studying for finals is a total drag, I've decided to fill you guys in on the latest news in the life of Gabby:

As those closest to me know, I've always been passionate about both poverty alleviation and natural resource conservation, and my goal come end of my master's program was to find a way to piece these two together. Well people... it's happening!!! A little over a month from now your Gabby will be off to work on her dream internship! As part of our master program it is required to write a master thesis by your third or fourth semester. A month or so ago, one of the PhD candidates in our department came to class to offer a position for a master thesis in the Amazonian forest in Peru. The thesis involves working with indigenous communities in the Amazonian forest to ensure environmental conservation and sustainability for the purpose of improving the well-being of these farming households. My heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what I wanted to do for my master thesis! I applied, and to my surprise and delight, I was the selected candidate for this amazing opportunity. This is HUGE in my book people!

Field work starts beginning of March and goes on for 6 months until the end of September. Initially, I will be stationed in Lima, where the main office is located. Then after summing up what my research is going to be about and developing the needed questionnaires, I will head out to the jungle to work in the villages. Since this is a research project my main job is to first brainstorm with our team a super creative way to improve these communities' conservation efforts. Then I will collect data, and last draft my master thesis as well as a report for the sponsoring organization behind my internship. Pretty darn cool!

I've already spoken to the team in Peru and they seem like such an excellent and supportive group to work with. The project is organized by three different organizations: GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit), University of Goettingen (my university), and the Federal Ministry of Environment in Peru. Since the project started about 3 years ago, I am very excited to learn about what has been done and what can be done to preserve the Amazonian biodiversity. Goes without saying this is an incredibly exciting learning and challenging experience that I'm anxious to begin. Oh, and yes, definitely super grateful that all costs will be covered by the sizable scholarship offered along with the internship. Hurray to that!

So why do you care?
Pretty much because this is definitely your chance to visit Peru. Seriously guys, mi casa es tu casa. Peru is a beauty and definitely a country worth a visit. Plus, I'll be there to show you around! ;)

Here's info on the program plus master thesis:
http://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/13301.html

Con amor,
Gabby

The Perfect Ending: Prague!

The best way I can describe Prague is imagine there is a white canvas and all of the best painters in the world, in the history of humanity, came together and painted a masterpiece... that's Prague. Because really this city is a work of art! Every angle is mesmerizing. At any point in time you will be blown away by the beauty that surrounds you.

I got really lucky too. On my first day in Prague, the skies cleared and the sun was out, which is rare during winter days. I got to see the city in the morning as the sun was rising, in the afternoon during its hectic hours, and during sunset, which reveled to me why this city is often praised in lovers' stories. Truly, truly beautiful.

The Church of Our Lady before Týn

View of Charles Bridge

Beer tour in Prague

Miss. Canada and I

I have to say, what made my stay in Prague most memorable was my discovery of the super cool free walking tours by Sandemans. I normally don't like tours. I find them boring and I get impatient. I always prefer to explore on my own, but this tour, my gosh, these guys are incredible. They are all volunteers (which means they don't get paid i.e., they only do it because they love it!). I was lucky (again!) by landing the awesomest tour guide ever. His name is Declan he is Irish and literally looks and talks like a pirate. It was a 3 hour tour that felt as if I was sitting in grandmas lap listening to stories of when the world was a different place. We learned the history of Prague while walking its streets, we laughed, we experienced... it was pretty awesome. He navigated us through the Old Town, the Jewish quarter, the entrance of Charles Bridge among many other places. In fact I loved them so much that later that day I decided to do a beer tour of Prague with them. For those of you that travel alone... this is a gem! For only 12 euros (student discount) they took us to four different breweries and served us 3 free beers. I got to taste some of the best Pilsner I have ever tasted in my life. One of the places (name escapes me, sorry!) their Pils was so fresh made 4 days before, no preservatives, uber good!!! During the walking tour I also got to meet a really nice girl Brianna from Canada, since we were both travelling alone we decided to stick together for the remainder of the day. We visited a castle nearby and the dancing house and met later that day for the beer tour. Great meeting you Brianna! I also met another amazing gal from the states, Eryn. Her and I meet on our way to Budapest but later in our travels we got to meet again on my last night in Prague. We ventured to a local bar on a different district where most Czech students hangout, and there we literally shared a sample of 12 0,3 L beers. Pretty delish tho not nearly as good as the ones I tried on the beer tour. 

I must say Prague is a beautiful place definitely worth visiting again... preferably with a love one ;)

Me and Eryn

Dancing House

 The astronomical clock

Pearl of the Danube

Pearl of the Danube a rightfully given name to a beautiful city--Budapest totally blew my mind!

I met Eric and Judith at the train station, and we immediately headed out to explore the nightlife of Budapest. Given that it was near Christmas eve bars weren't "full" as usual, but mind you they were full! As noted to me by my Hungarian friend people in Budapest don't mess around with their social life. It doesn't matter if you are completely broke, you go out and spare a few forints on restaurants and bars, you socialize, you always hang out with your friends and enjoy all the wonders that life has to offer. I really liked this about Budapest. In more ways than one it reminded me very much of Buenos Aires.

One of the ruin pubs

In my opinion Budapest is more of a night city, its charm and eccentricity definitely surfaces during the dark hours. There are restaurants in every corner. At any time you'll find a little hole in the wall that for a few bucks will serve you excellent food. Since Judith and Eric are total foodies, we got to enjoy some of the best of Budapest's culinary art. Two of the most memorable tastes: goose liver pate and the stuffed cabbage (both hiiiighly recommended!!). Drinking is also no joke in Budapest. Hungarians love their pálinka, and I can't blame them, it is freaking delicious. This fruity brandy is distilled from a variety of fruits, and its strength varies depending on the fruit and age of the pálinka. 40-60-80% alcohol it didn't seem to matter much, for the most part, it went down like water. On our first night we went to what are called ruined bars. These retro looking bars are basically old abandoned buildings transformed into club/bars. Every room resembles a different theme. Within these buildings you can find up to 3 bars and 2 dancing floors depending on the size of the place. Definitely a spot to visit. We also got to go to a very cool ice bar in Budapest. Here everything is made out of ice (duh!) and temperature is as low as -5° C. In this chilly little bar I also discovered the greatness of grapefruit infused vodka (seriously you have to try it!).

Although Budapest's nightlife is incredible, this gorgeous city  has also lots to offer during the day time. 10 minutes outside and you will be blown away by its architecture. Everywhere you look it's fascinating. Many Gothic cathedrals along with majestic forts and bridges that will make you feel as if you are part of a fairy tale story. What's really magnificent about Budapest is that in no way it resembles the perfect cities of the West. Budapest is dirty, grungy, it has an edge (in some ways like Berlin). The walls and streets they have a story a long painful story of many invasions and constant struggle. Its beauty is not just in its buildings but also in its personality--something that I hold to high esteem. The people are amazing. Hungarians regardless of their difficult past are one of the kindest and sweetest people I have encountered in my travels thus far.

For a wonderful time in your lovely city I thank you Judith, and a million thanks to your family for their hospitality and warmth.

Hope you've enjoyed reading!

Love,
Gabs

  

First stop: Munich!

When my friend Judith asked me in October whether I would like to join her, her boyfriend, and her family in Budapest for Christmas, I was jumping up and down screaming of course I would love to!! So 2 months later I was frantic in my room packing my bags for an awesome winter break vacation.

Everything sort of happen on its own. While looking for transportation to Budapest I realized that I couldn't afford a direct train ticket to Budapest since they were running at at least 130 euros one way. I searched around and found an awesome bus company, FlixBus, which was only 25 euros from Göttingen to Munich from where I could then catch a train to Budapest for only 39 euros. A much more affordable option, and so happy I did it this way! Instead of just travelling to Budapest over Christmas break, I got to visit Munich, Budapest, and Prague!! Turns out that from Budapest to Prague there are regular tickets that go for only 19 euros!! Since Prague is on the way to Göttingen, I decided to spend a couple of days in Prague on my way back home. An incredible Christmas gift to myself!

The bus ride to Munich went faster than expected. It was an 8 1/2 hour trip that felt more like 4. At the bus station I met a righteous girl named Sarah with whom I chat along for hours on the bus. Because at one point we had to change buses at Nürnberger, Sarah and I decided to venture to the famous Christkindlesmarkt in Nürnberger. This Christmas market is known to be one of the most beautiful and traditional market in Bavaria, and a famous travel destination for tourist. There we spent a good hour sipping on some very hot glühwein, wondering through food and souvenir stands, and watching the crowds get larger.

I spent the night at a hostel called Jaeger´s Hostel, which was less than ok, but for 11 euros I couldn't expect more. The rooms were very clean but the people were very loud. Probably was woken up about 5 times throughout the night... big bummer. Nevertheless, there I met a really cool guy from Brazil, Patrick. This awesome fellow had more stories than my grandmother. A business analyst who was aiming to become an opera singer!! He was one of the sweetest person I've met in a very long time, always smiling, always something positive to say about life. Loved it! In February he debuts in Les Misérables in Brazil. Break a leg Patrick!!

Munich is a wonderful city, so much to do, so much to see. Because I was there for a short period of time I didn't visit all the places I would have liked to, but from what I saw, I know I would like to come back... probably during Oktoberfest. I went straight from my hostel to Marienplatz, a beautiful square in the city center of Munich. There you can catch a view of the enormous and ornate Neues Rathaus. It will leave you staring for hours.

 
From this platz you can also see the famous Glockenspiel in the tower. Every day at 11 am it chimes and re-enacts two stories from the 16th century. The show lasts about 15 minutes depending on the tune... sliiiightly overrate! After managing to escape the crowd of tourists that inundate this platz, I wondered the city for hours. Managed to visit a few markets, the Medieval Christmas market being my favorite. Walked through small allies that lead to beautiful sites. Sipped coffee at the park and saw more and more impressive buildings. All in all an amazing start to an epic winter break vacation.  Details on Budapest and Prague coming soon!

       
         xoxo,
         Gabby

   
   
 

Frohe Weihnachten!

Hello everyone,

Merry Christmas!! I hope these holidays are full of love, happiness, and health for you all!! Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, and even though I know Santa Claus is total baloney, I can't help but love the spirit of this holiday. Maybe because the whole city is light up with colorful lights, or maybe it is the ever-present smell of pine tree everywhere you go, or maybe the fact that people seem more happy in general, regardless of the reason, I am a total sucker for Christmas. This year, I got to experience a bit of what Christmas is like in Germany, and let me tell you, Germans really know how to celebrate this holiday. Like many other countries they have a lot of special traditions. The one I loved most however is their amazing Weihnachten Markts. These lovely Christmas markets are a gem in Deutschland. They start sometime in early December and go until a few days past Christmas eve. Here, you will find everything from Glühwein, sausages, sauerkraut, warm sweet roasted almonds, chocolates, ferry rides, and all sorts of other fun stuff. You'll find everyone from kids, parents, grandparents, teenagers, and young adults. The market is for everyone! I probably visited the one at Göttingen about two times a week because I loved it so much! Definitely a tradition I would love to bring back with me to the states. 

Here I share with you the recipe for some delicious Glühwein. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Much love to all of you special folks and hope you are having a wonderful time with your love ones!

Glühwein:

• 750 ml red wine 
• 1/2 cup of organic lemon
• 80 g sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 10 cloves
• juice from 2 oranges (or orange juice)
• 125 ml orange liqueur (such as Cointreau)

Step 1 

Put all the ingredients except for the orange liqueur in a saucepan and mix well. Cover and leave on low heat until it slowly gets hot (until the wine is lightly foam on the surface). Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Step 2 

Pour the orange liqueur and stir. Turn off the heat, cover the saucepan, and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Then pour into large heat-resistant glasses and drink the mulled wine very hot! Enjoy!

Die Nikoparty!

My dearest,

Tanja, me, Marina at Die Nikoparty

Now that I am finally done with lectures (at least for the next 2 weeks), I can fill you in with some details of the last month. Well, it is Christmas, and like in many other countries, Germany has special traditions of its own. Around mid December there is the big party in Göttingen called Die Nikoparty. In celebration of St. Nicholas day the university is transformed into one of the largest college parties in all of Germany. Being that this is exclusive to Göttingen, Göttingers are very proud of this event and for a very good reason. It is a HUGE party, and it brings thousands of people to campus. It starts early in the evening. Everyone is gathered into different rooms to watch the famous German movie Die Feuerzangenbowle. The movie is from the 1940's and frankly, I really really liked it. It's tradition that while watching it, at selected scenes, you either whistle, drink, light up sparklers, or cheer along with the crowd. Soon after the movie is over, you head straight to the center of the party to be welcomed by the Göttinger Symphonie. It's really amazing to see an orchestra on campus!! Glühwein along with beer is sold in stalls, and rock n roll. techno, and sometimes really cheesy songs are played all night. The party goes on until close to 4am. Here's a video of the symphony before the real party started:

Wo bist du, Gabby?

I started this blog at the beginning of my summer semester, and between having too much fun and travelling, I realized, I've said very little about what my life is like here in Germany.

First, a few words about the program. It's a 2-year masters in Development Economics with a focus in Agricultural studies. It combines two of my biggest passions: poverty alleviation and natural resource conservation. For this reason I was stoked upon acceptance. Most masters in development economics tend to be very heavy in economics and give little focus to other fields. This program however, integrates the importance of agricultural knowledge, which pans out to be pretty ideal for my scope of interest. It is a research base program, which pretty much means that it covers theoretical as well as empirical issues in all related topics to development. Since it is an English taught program it attracts a pretty sizable international community, most of which come from Africa, Latin America, and South East Asia. The faculty is darn solid with incredibly interesting research work, and I am happy to report that I am not the only Berkeley alumna in my class!

As for the rest of my experience here in Göttingen: I live in a quasi-student home. It's a seven story building that goes by the name of Mahatma Ghandi House. Located at the north part of the city (where most students live) close to pretty much everything. Not the nicest part of town but it has its charm.

My home Theodor-Heuss-Straße 11 Göttingen, Germany 37075!

My room which I absolutely adore! With enough room for stretching and yoga. Note that Dumbo and Traposin made it safely with me to Germany!

The amazing view from my bedroom window, from where I get to watch beautiful sunsets almost every single day :)

Part of campus

The lecture rooms

My route to class every morning

Downtown Göttingen

The Altes Rathaus

Not to forget the lovely Gänseliesel

And the occasional work days (this was at the International Conference on Resource Efficiency in Inter-organizational Networks 2013 at the Paulinerkirche)

Viel Liebe!
Gabs