It's Not Goodbye. It's ... Äddi!

Samschdeg, 23 Juli.

Today is my last full day in Luxembourg. Tomorrow, I'll get on the train to Brussels. And then -- poof -- I won't be a temporary Luxembourger anymore. No more teaching English to trilingual sixteen-year-olds. No more hopping on Bus 4 to Belval and hoping that the driver remembers that they added a stop at Cité des Sciences. No more picnicking on abandoned castles in tiny villages on sunny afternoons. No more walking to the animal park after Sunday morning brunches to check on the raccoons.

Leaving Luxembourg two weeks ago was not easy -- not least of all because a délai indéfini between Esch and Luxembourg City threatened to make me miss my train to Brussels -- and I know that tomorrow, my final departure will be even tougher. It is hard to explain why. It was difficult to say goodbye to my students, to the teachers who have supported and mentored me all year, and to the housemates who made my year truly amazing. And yet, in the perpetually-connected 21st century world in which we live, I know that no "goodbye" is permanent. This will not be the last time that I hang out with my friends, or meander down the Chemin de la Corniche, or eat an ice cream cone in Place d'Armes. (Which is, side note, the best place to eat an ice cream cone.) And yet, something feels particularly finite about my impending departure. Whether or not this is the last time I see my friends, and whether or not it is my last time in Luxembourg, it is clear that this chapter of my life is coming to a close. This setting, these characters may return in later stages, but the story will never be quite the same again.

I visited Luxembourg's Museum of Modern Art a couple of weeks ago and saw Fiona Tan's "Island." The installation, which was first created in 2008, features a fifteen-minute black-and-white video with voiceover narration. I was watching, more than a little skeptical (... modern art, ya know?), when the narrator said something that stuck with me.

"When she leaves, she will fold up this place and put it in her pocket for safe-keeping."

And that's exactly what I am going to do.

Lest you feel the need to reach for a tissue, let me assure you that -- of course -- it's not all sad. In fact, it is mostly happy! I am absolutely thrilled about moving to Brussels and love life in the city so far (even if there are a couple hundred thousand more people than I've become used to). And after a week and a half at my new job, I am so happy with my decision and feel genuinely excited to go to work every morning.

And so, despite the fact that I am 99.9% sure I will cry on the train tomorrow, it feels more like a time for celebration than sadness. I'm spending this last weekend in the Grand Duchy packing, relaxing, and doing some of the most wonderfully Luxembourgish things I can think of. Sunbathing at the Remerschen Lake -- because after ten months, it's finally warm enough to think about swimming. Baking cakes and marathoning "One Tree Hill" with my housemates. Watching movies at the Open Air Cinema. And, of course, taking the brand-new Pfaffenthal Elevator. (Seriously, this sucker has been under construction for six years and it finally opens on my last day in Luxembourg? It's fate, I tell you.)

So Luxembourg, it has come time for us to part. But remember -- it's not "Goodbye." It's "Äddi!" ;)

Musée Méindeg: Roman Villa Echternach

Méindeg, 4 Juli.

One of the first places I visited after arriving in Luxembourg was the historic town of Echternach. Since then, I've returned almost a dozen times: hiking, travelling with friends, or even visiting the town's medieval Christmas market. If you've visited me, chances are we went to Echternach. (If you've visited me and we didn't go to Echternach ... awkwaaaard.) Anyhow, despite all of these visits, there is one major Echternach highlight that I'd never managed to see. Until last week, that is!

Today's Musée Méindeg post is taking you to the Roman Villa Echternach! The remains of this third-century Roman villa were discovered in 1975, during excavations for an artificial lake. It has since been named one of the most important Gallo-Roman sites north of the Alps!
 

The sizable villa was located in a suburb, so to speak, of the massive Roman settlement in modern-day Trier. Today, it's hard to imagine the network of residential villas and military fortifications that once covered this region! Still, the excavated and semi-reconstructed site goes a long way to helping you imagine what life might have been like for these ancient Luxembourgers. Given the climate (with temperatures just *slightly* cooler than in Italy), I was particularly amazed at the number of outdoor courtyards and open-air colonnades.

Hello Châteaux: Picnicking at Bourglinster Castle

Mëttwoch, 29 Juni.

With just under two weeks left in Luxembourg, I have been frantically trying to cross as many things off my bucket list as possible. Today, that meant paying a visit to one of Luxembourg's many castles: the adorable Château de Bourglinster.

Bourglinster Castle is, to put it simply, old. In the thirteenth century, the castle was the property of the noble family of Linster. (Get it? Bourglinster ... Bourg Linster?) It passed from family to family over the next eight hundred years, gradually being transformed from fortified fortress to Renaissance castle. Click here to learn more via Visit Luxembourg.

Despite its advanced age, Bourglinster looks pretty great! The castle has been fully restored and boasts a fresh coat of (baby pink?) paint on its tiny towers. As you might remember from my visit to the Musée de Maquettes des Châteaux et Châteaux Forts du Luxembourg, the majority of Luxembourg's châteaux forts are no longer in great condition. Those that are not in ruins tend to be privately-owned or have been restored for some specific purpose. Bourglinster Castle is no exception: today, it is home to multiple restaurants. (Click here to check out their website.) You can even book the castle for your wedding!

 

Although the castle itself is not open to visitors except for previously-arranged private tour, the castle grounds -- including the ruins of some of the oldest parts of the property -- are free to be explored. We found a particularly sunny spot and plopped down for a picnic.

When Moms Come to Visit: Leslie in Luxembourg

Donneschdeg, 16 Juni.

I'm officially feeling like the luckiest duck in the world. After listening to me brag about Luxembourg for the past nine months, my mom finally got to come check out the Grand Duchy for herself. She arrived last Friday morning and we have spent the past week exploring some of my favorite corners of Luxembourg.

Selfie time after an obligatory excursion to the Casemates du Bock!

In addition to Luxembourg City and my hometown of Esch-sur-Alzette (après neuf mois, je me considère comme une vraie Eschoise...), we spent a day exploring some of the more distant corners of Luxembourg. I loved having the opportunity to revisit some of my favorite places from the past year, including Larochette Castle. It rained on us a bit during our second day, but we didn't let the bad weather dampen our spirits. And hey, at least my mom got to catch a glimpse of the famous Luxembourgish weather! 

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To Germany and Back Again: Hiking in Vianden

Sonndeg, 15 Mee.

Ever since coming to Luxembourg in September of last year, hiking has become one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend. I first went hiking in Vianden way back in November, when we took friends visiting from Belgium to hike and see one of the country's most famous castles. Because of the cold, we only did a section of the trail and I've been dying to go back ever since.

Before Madeleine heads back to the USA on Tuesday, we decided to squeeze in a visit to Vianden to revisit the trail and check out one of the Grand Duchy's most scenic spots!

That Time I Climbed a Blast Furnace

Sonndeg, 8 Mee.

Last night was Nuit de la Culture in Esch-sur-Alzette. To celebrate, the city hosted free concerts and art exhibitions all night long. The coolest event was definitely the evening visits of the hauts fourneaux in Belval.

The blast furnaces, which sit smack dab in the middle of Belval, are a striking reminder of Luxembourg's long history of steel production. They include Blast Furnace B, which was the last operational furnace in the country before it shut down in 1997. Today, both furnaces are considered national monuments and have been incorporated in plans for the former industrial site. You can visit the hauts fourneaux throughout the year, but admission hours were extended and the usual 5€ admission fee was waved on Nuit de la Culture.

As the sun set over Belval, we grabbed our cameras, strapped on our safety helmets, and headed up!

 

 

Although I'm not the biggest fan of heights, the views from the top of the blast furnaces were definitely worth the climb. (And yes, it's a climb -- not an elevator ride.) I can't believe that it's taken me eight months to check out this corner of Belval, but I am so glad that I did!

Want to read more about this year's event? Check out coverage from the Luxemburger Wort.

Hello Châteaux: Castle Ruins in Dudelange

Samschdeg, 26 Mäerz.

Since arriving in Luxembourg last September, there have been a handful of cities and towns that have been on my 'must-visit' list because of their political significance (Schengen), their museums (Clervaux, Diekirch), or -- let's be honest -- their castles. Dudelange was NOT on this list.

Located just a fifteen minute drive from Esch-sur-Alzette and only a few kilometers from the French border, the town of Dudelange boasts a population of just under 20,000, a history as an important industrial center, and little else ... or so I thought. While aware that Dudelange was home to castle ruins, I knew little about the castle itself and assumed that it would pale in comparison to the châteaux forts in the north of the country. In fact, until today, the most exciting thing for me about Dudelange was its official Luxembourgish name: Diddeleng.

However, today's visit to Dudelange and the ruins of its medieval castle has forced me to consider that there may be more to this town than meets the eye!

This plaque imagines the castle in its 15th-century heyday. 

With Catherine, my fellow Fulbrighter and castle-exploring buddy!

  

My first surprise was learning that the castle ruins at Dudelange are not actually located within the town itself. Rather, they sit on the top of Mont St. Jean, a heavily-wooded hill that rises 400 meters above the town of Dudelange. 

"We Have a Zoo?!": The Mid-Year Discovery of the Escher Déi'repark

Samschdeg, 26 Mäerz.

As you all know by now, Luxembourg is a pretty small country. Still, I would never presume to know all of its secrets after only six months. (Case in point: today's delightful discovery of Dudelange Castle!) However, my adopted city of Esch-sur-Alzette is a slightly different story. Despite being the second-largest city in the country, Esch is a pretty small town and after half a year of residency, I've come to feel like I know it pretty well. Need to know about the bus routes? The local schools and churches? The most punny hair salon? I got you. (By the way, it's called "Ryan Hair" and if that doesn't make you roll your eyes and laugh despite yourself, then I don't know what will.)

Although I've heard rumors from my housemates about the existence of a small petting zoo in the municipal park above the train station, I didn't really know what to expect. (The descriptions had pretty much been limited to: "There is a ... you know ... zoo. It has ... you know ... Bambi?") So you can imagine my surprise when, after a full six months of living here, I finally discovered the Escher Déi'repark.

The Déi'repark is somewhere between a traditional zoo and a petting zoo. The animals include typical farm animals like chickens, sheep, goats, and horses as well as slightly more diverse options like deer, Highland cows, and raccoons. In total, there are approximately 140 animals at the park. Visitors to the animal park, which is free and open year-round, can interact with the animals through the fence and even feed them!

As you can imagine, this park is a game-changer. In the words of fellow Fulbrighter, Catherine: "You mean I could have been relieving stress by petting baby animals ALL YEAR?!"

Castles and Casemates and Cities ... Oh My!

Freideg, 25 Mäerz.

After visiting Rachel in Scotland last month, it was only fair that I return the favor. She came and spent a week of her spring break in the Grand Duchy.

In addition to an impromptu afternoon trip to Rodemack, our adventures included: hiking the Mullerthal-Consdorf trail with my housemates, attending classes at the University of Luxembourg Belval Campus (very new) and my local high school (very old), exploring Luxembourg City and touring the Bock Casemates, hiking from Berdorf to Echternach, and climbing all over visiting the castle ruins at Esch-sur-Sûre. Rachel even took advantage of her time in Luxembourg (and my time in the classroom) to visit Brussels and Trier!

Lessons in Luxembourgish: Literally!

Freideg, 4 Mäerz.

Well, folks, it has finally happened. The day that some predicted, but that many -- including myself -- thought might never come. That's right: I have finally started learning Luxembourgish.

Last semester, as you might remember, I took a weekly German course through the University of Luxembourg Language Center, or ULLC. At only ninety minutes per week, the course was neither particularly challenging nor time-consuming, but it gave me the opportunity to keep working on my German. (And, because yours truly passed German B1.3 with flying colors, I even got a nifty little ULLC certificate!) This semester, the only German class being offered at my level was a weekly conversation course ... which sounded intriguing until I remembered that I currently LIVE with three native German speakers and that my entire life could be a German conversation course, should I choose! However, in a lucky turn of events, the university is offering free introductory courses in Lëtzebuergesch and my housemate, Dikra, and I decided to sign up. (A translation/summary of our WhatsApp conversation about the matter: "OMG TAKE LUXEMBOURGISH WITH ME." "OMG YES OKAY WHEN YES.") And that's how I wound up spending every Wednesday evening at the Limpertsberg Campus, copying down vocabulary words and repeating obscure phrases and giggling over the fact that, in Luxembourgish, cadeau is spelled Kado. (Like, seriously?)

So, what have I learned so far? Well, to begin with, we have tackled some greetings.

Moien = Hello!
Gudde Moien = Good morning
Gudde Mëtteg = Good afternoon
Gudden Owend = Good evening
Gutt Nuecht = Good night
Awar an nach e schéinen Dag! = Goodbye and have a nice day!

Luckily, while French people must constantly be aware of the exact time of day in order to avoid the unpardonable offense of wishing someone a "Bonne soirée!" when it is still journée,  Luxembourgers can get away with saying "Moien" at all times. In fact, it is only the conductors on evening trains who I have ever heard say "Gudden Owend."

On our first day of class, we also learned how to introduce ourselves. You know, to all our Luxembourgish friends.

Wéi heescht Dir? = What is your name? (formal) 
Ech heeschen Elisabeth. = My name is Elisabeth.
Wéi ass Ären Numm? = What is your name? (formal) 
Mäin Numm ass Elisabeth. = My name is Elisabeth.

Remember how one of my very first posts about learning Luxembourgish talked about the similarities between German and Luxembourgish? Introductions are a great example of this linguistic proximity. In German, you ask "Wie heißt du?" (or "Wie heißen Sie?" if you're being formal); in Luxembourgish, it's "Wéi heeschs du?" (or "Wéi heescht Dir?"). A German would answer with "Ich heiße..." while a Luxembourger would respond with "Ech heeschen..."

As you continue, the similarities only continue. While a German friend might inquire "Wie geht's?", a Luxembourger would be inclined to use the following expressions:

Wéi geet et? = How are you? (How is it going?)
Et geet mir gut. = I'm doing well. (It's going well.)
Et geet tipp topp! = Great! :)
Et geet guer net gutt. = Really bad. :(

Sometimes when learning a language in a classroom, you are taught words and phrases that are a little outdated or silly sounding ... and don't realize until later that you have been speaking like a very quirky old woman. So naturally, when hearing someone describe their state of wellness as "tipp topp", you might be tempted to think that this, too, was une expression démodée. Except that in this case, it's totally not. Luxembourgers say "tipp topp" ALL. THE. TIME. And I love them for it.

If it seems like I am already studying hard ... it's because I am! Although the course I am taking is technically free, we were asked to fork over a rather hefty 34 euros for the textbook called Schwätzt Dir Lëtzebuergesch? (This means "Do you speak Luxembourgish?" and the answer is a resounding NO.) On the plus side, this financial investment is quickly translating to a strong sense of academic devotion. If you spend 34 euros on a book, then you are going to USE. THAT. BOOK.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates from the land of A1.1 Luxembourgish, including my answer to the all-important question: "Why learn Luxembourgish?" But for now, Äddi!

Happy Buergbrennen!

Sonndeg, 14 Februar.

Just a quick post today from Luxembourg, where people are celebrating Valentine's Day by burning giant crosses.

No, really! For Luxembourgers, today is not only Valentine's Day; it also happens to be a beloved tradition called Buergbrennen. And although I am celebrating a typically American Valentine's Day (read: eating chocolate and watching chick flicks with girl friends), I thought it might be fun to tell you a little more about how the average Luxembourger is spending their 14 February.

Traditionally celebrated in parts of France, Germany, and Belgium, this holiday is now celebrated in Luxembourg on the first Sunday of Lent, Buergsonndeg. Despite these religious associations, Buergbrennen originated as a pagan festival that marked the annual triumph of spring over winter. Today, locals gather together to construct Buergen, massive bonfires topped with wooden crosses, and to eat traditional food. Then, as the sun sets, they then march in a torchlight procession and set fire to the Buergen, using the flames to chase away winter and mark the beginning of spring!

PS. Is this not strange enough for you? Then check out the town of Remich, which marks the beginning of Lent with the burning of a straw person. The Luxemburger Wort has the scoop!

Hello Châteaux: Cold, Wet, and Totally Lost at Bourscheid Castle

Donneschdeg, 28 Januar.

Let's begin this post by quoting the Rolling Stones, who in their infinite wisdom informed the world that "you can't always get what you want." Like, say you want to bake a cake but you realize you don't have any flour. Or you have a crush on somebody but they don't like you back. Or you just want to go see a nice castle but everything goes wrong and it's cold and it starts to rain and you get lost in the woods.

With that last example particularly in mind, let's talk about Bourscheid Castle! Known as Buerg Buerschent in Luxembourgish, this castle dates back to the eleventh century and is one of the most picturesque châteaux in Luxembourg. (At least, according to my "Castles of Luxembourg" pamphlet.) This past weekend, some friends and I decided to check it out.

The map to which we ought to have paid a bit more attention.

If you see this beautiful view, then you are NOT ON THE RIGHT PATH.