The Dinner took place in the Havana Lounge in Bremen. After welcome speeches by Club President Ulf-Brün Drechsel and special guest Prof. Dr. Wiebke Ahrndt (Director of the Overseas Museum in Bremen), it was time to cut the turkey.
From October 27 to November 2, 2025, Bremen’s renowned annual international Festival for Border-Crossing Literature called Globale took place. We had the honor of being invited to the opening night, a festive event in the Town Hall.
Afterwards, we listened to a reading of excerpts from David Safier’s book Die Liebe sucht in Zimmer (Love in Search for a Room) by the famous actress Anna Thalbach, intermingled with Uni Bremen’s Prof. Dr. Karen Struve interviewing the author to explain the complex and captivating story of his book. Our students were able to obtain a signed copy afterwards.
During the subsequent festive reception, our Dickinson students met several interesting people, including a group of Ukrainian students from Odesa, who were attending a research week at the Research Centre for East European Studies at the University of Bremen and who invited our students for a joint dinner the next evening.
Many fascinating events, readings, and talks followed throughout the week, including, on Oct 29, a talk by Dr. Oxana Matiychuk with the title “Literature in/From the War: A Report from Chernivtsi,” which was introduced by Prof. Dr. Susanne Schattenberg, head of the Research Center for Eastern Europe.
On Nov 1, a discussion was held between Heike Paul and Marcel Dirsus (author of How Tyrants Fall: And How Nations Survive) on: “Looking West: On the Current Situation in the United States.”
Marcel Dirsus (left), interviewed by Heike Paul
The same day, a reading (with interview) of Dmitrij Kapitelman’s Russische Spezialitäten (Russian Specialties) explored the heartbreaking attempt of a Ukrainian German from Kyiv, who grew up in Leipzig, to convince his own mother—who lives safely in Germany and has been taken in by Russian propaganda—that it is Putin who is attacking Ukraine, not the other way around.
German Ukrainian author Dmitrij Kapitelman (right), interviewed by Klaas Anders
This wonderful literature festival has been founded and run for a long time by Libuše Černa. Last year, she handed over to a young team, led by Tatjana Vogel and Daniel Schmidt, who was an exchange student from the University of Bremen at Dickinson College a few years ago.
To complete my volunteer hours, I spent many Monday mornings in the Bremen Suppenengel with Nina. When you arrive, you are either asked to work in the kitchen making soup or to sit around a table and make Brötchen (sandwiches) to give out in the afternoon. My first day I worked in the kitchen, but found I preferred making the Brötchen instead.
Makayla preparing sandwiches for the Bremer Suppenengel
Working at the Suppenengel was a really fulfilling experience; the work wasn’t overwhelming, and it was a useful way to get more practice hearing everyday German, instead of the academic German I was getting used to. The people in charge were incredibly friendly, one of my favorite memories was everyone discussing the pronunciation of my name and playing “Michaela” by Bata Illic for me because I had never heard it. Everyone there made sure we felt comfortable and hydrated!
Overall, I found the Bremen Suppenengel to be a very achievable and meaningful way to give back to Bremen, even with a busy school semester.
We rounded our orientation week off with a visit to the Weser Stadion, the home stadium of Bremen’s soccer team Werder Bremen. We watched the first division highlight game between the women’s team of Werder Bremen and the women’s team of the Hamburger SV (HSV).
It was the first “Nordderby” (“Northern Derby” – that’s how the rival games between Werder Bremen and Hamburger SV are called) in the Women’s Bundesliga history, since the team of Hamburg was promoted to the first division for the first time this season.
The stadium was nearly sold out, and we had tickets in the “Ostkurve”, the fan block of Werder Bremen. It was a good game, and Bremen ended up winning 2:0.
During our Orientationweek, our students also had the change to participate in an exclusive tour through the Haus der Bürgerschaft, organized by the International Office of the University of Bremen.
from left to right: Alex, Kate and Haley
On 9th September 1966, the Haus der Bürgerschaft was inaugurated as the seat of the Bremen Parliament (Bremische Bürgerschaft). The state parliament of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen still meets here today and passes or amends laws for Bremen and Bremerhaven. (Source)
During the tour, our students learned more about the architecture and history of the building, as well as about Bremen’s state parliament.
If you want to find out more about Bremen’s State Parliament, find more information about it here in English or in German.
We would like to thank the International Office for organizing this tour!
Last week Thursday, on October 9, we had the great honor to attend the Reception on the occasion of the German-American Mayors’ Conference in the Bremen City Hall.
Bremen City Hall
The “Mayors Round Table” takes place the second time, with the first Conference being held in June 2024 in the One World Trade Center in New York City. Around 20 mayors from the US and Germany attended the two-day conference, among them Mayor David Holt from Oklahoma City who is also the President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor Reggie Burgess from North Charleston, with which Bremen plans to become sister cities in the near future, as well as mayors from Helena (MT), Palo Alto (CA), Chattanooga (TN), Los Angeles (CA), Tacoma (WA), Mountain View (CA), Berlin, Hannover, Heidelberg, Stuttgart and many more.
The reception began with welcome addresses by Mayor Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte (President of the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen), Christina Beinhoff (Head of the Department of Culture and Society at the Federal Foreign Office) and Mayor David Holt (Oklahoma City, President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors). It was followed by the Input “Solid Partnership in Demanding Times” by Matthias Magnor (CEO BLG LOGISTICS GROUP AG & Co. KG, Bremen) and Julian Bremer (Co-President & COO BLG Logistics, Inc., Northport, Alabama).
Mayor Bovenschulte giving his welcome address
Afterwards, we had the chance to meet and talk to many Mayors and guests during the reception.
Some impressions from our students:
“I really loved getting to meet so many different people from both Germany and the US. Getting to speak with people from professions in differing spaces all coming together to connect under one roof was so special. Everyone had a different reason for being at the event but they each knew the value of the connection between two countries coming to work together.” – Haley ’27
“To attend the mayors conference was such a privilege. Having the chance to enter into Bremen’s beautiful Rathaus building is, in and of itself, something special, but being given the opportunity to chat with various U.S. mayors, Bremen’s own mayor (or Bürgermeister, true to the German title), and a range of other well-connected businesses people left me feeling both very lucky and surprised. Surprised that a group of three Dickinson College students had gotten access to such a high-profile event and made so many connections, all within the first week of arriving in Bremen.” – Alex ’27
“The conference was a great opportunity for meeting the “who’s who” of Bremen’s business and politics. It was also the perfect cure to my homesickness, getting to hear tons of American accents around me and speak with them about home.” – Kate ’27
Further Information
If you want to find out more about the conference, Sat1 Regional (German TV Broadcaster) documented the Conference with a short video:
“The round table of mayors from the United States and Germany, taking place in Bremen on 9 and 10 October, serves as a reciprocal invitation following the inaugural round table of mayors that took place in New York on 14 June 2024. There are around 200 German-American town twinnings, representing the largest number of such partnerships outside the European Union.
The round table forms part of the Urban Diplomacy Exchange programme implemented by Engagement Global, on behalf of the Federal Foreign Office and the German Association of Cities. Its objective is to strengthen German-American town twinnings, intensify the exchange of ideas on current urban challenges and deepen the bonds of transatlantic friendship. During the round table in Bremen, mayors will exchange views on topics including housing and urbanisation, innovation and digitisation, and smart solutions for large-scale gatherings and sporting events.” Source: Federal Foreign Office of Germany
On Sunday, we did a spontaneous little trip to Bremen-Vegesack, which lies in the north of Bremen, where the Lesum River meets the Weser. Around 400 years ago, Germany’s first artificial harbour was constructed here, and today Vegesack is still known for its Harbour. The bronze statue of a whale jaw as well as the “Whale fins in the waves” sculpture that can be found on the Weser promenade of the “Vegesacker Hafen” (Harbour) are a memorial to the historical whaling tradition and the “whaling town” of Vegesack.
Bronze statue of a whale jaw
We explored the promenade of the harbour as well as the “Vegefest”, a neighborhood festival in Vegesack that takes place every year at the beginning of fall. We explored the artistic flea market in the city center, tried some traditional “Schmalzkuchen” and listened to a local band playing American bluegrass, country and blues Music.
The weather was – in a typical Bremen way – a bit rainy, but that did not stop us from having a fun afternoon.
Last week, we welcomed our new Dickinson-in-Bremen students Alex, Haley and Kate in Bremen.
We started off our Orientation Week with a delicious dinner in the “Ratskeller” in the historic center of Bremen as well as a tour through Bremen by former Dickinson-in-Bremen student Grear, who studied abroad in Bremen during the Spring in 2024 and is now doing his master in Germany. He came to visit us in Bremen to help our new students get to know the city and show them his favorite spots. Thank you, Grear!
from left to right: Academic Director Dr. Janine Ludwig, Haley, Kate, Program Coordinator Antonia Gabler, Alex, former DiB Student Grear.
Our new students will attend our Dickinson-in-Bremen Orientationweek this week, before they start their classes at Uni Bremen next week.
We can’t wait to spend the next semester(s) with you in Bremen!
When I arrived in Germany on September 1st, 2024, I had no idea how the year ahead of me would change my life. It’s hard to discuss a study abroad experience without becoming a walking brochure – or romanticizing the challenges beyond recognition – so I will try my best to transparently and lucidly share some of my favorite memories and greatest challenges here. I’ll begin by imparting some unsolicited advice.
Delaney and I at Rhododendron Park
Do your best to have no expectations. This doesn’t mean you can’t visualize life abroad, but try not to overplan or expect how things will be when you get here, especially when it comes to your language abilities. Be real with yourself about the challenges.
Once you arrive, BEGIN TO VISUALIZE – I realize that this is contradictory advice from my first tip, but it takes a certain amount of opportunism and ‘committing to the bit’ to make the most of your time here. You might think to yourself: What’s something I’ve never done before? How do I experience the best parts of the city as regularly as possible? How do I want to orient myself in this city?
Live with Germans if you can; it makes a huge difference for your language skills.
Don’t judge your experience based on your worst day (or first, second, or third day.)
If someone invites you to do something, GO!
Upon my arrival in Bremen in late September 2024, I believed that my language level wouldn’t be sufficient to begin studying in Bremen. In short, I was right. If you don’t come to Bremen with a C1 language level, you have to be prepared to work really hard on simple academic tasks. When I first discovered this, I was consumed by panic; I worried I had made the wrong decision coming to Bremen. However, I soon realized my success was going to be dependent on my approach. If there was no way that my language level would be sufficient by the time I arrived in October, I would have to change my expectations. I adjusted my goals to manageable levels: practice speaking every day, watch German TV shows, read German books, try to absorb as much German as possible, and ask for help in classes when I need it.
With frustration, repetition, and some disappointment, I began a slow crawl towards proficiency. Some of my greatest victories have been making small comments in class and receiving a “genau” in response, constructing sentences that I’m proud of, and, greatest of all, making German friends. There’s an idea that there’s a correct, or ‘better’ way to go about learning a language – many of my friends in the program could study grammar rules and internalize them with relative ease, which made me pretty jealous. I, on the other hand, had to use what I call the “baby method.” I sheepishly stumbled through sentences and effectively babbled in German for the past 11 months, and it has been momentous for my German abilities. Learning a language is a humbling experience, and if you keep that in mind and choose to engage with the people you meet, you will have no trouble making friends here. And I will add that with 11 months of practice, my German has improved significantly; repeated exposure has helped me a lot.
To end this rambling, I will add to my final tip. If someone invites you to something, you must go; there is nothing else to do! Do it! Go! Bremer often say “Bremen ist ein Dorf,” or, Bremen is a village – it’s true. If you put yourself out there enough, you will begin to see exactly how close-knit Bremen is, and it is awesome. Anyway, viel Spaß! Wer rastet, der rostet!
Comment from Dr. Ludwig: Naomi is too modest. She has achieved B2+ for sure and speaks fluently. 😉
