DANIEL HOUGEY & LAUREN WAUGH
Heidelberg Columnists
Traveling through foreign countries is an exciting experience. Diving headfirst into different cultures can be scary, but it is also exhilarating. But that’s just on the weekends.
What goes on during the week, when we are trapped in classrooms in Heidelberg?
Although traveling is a great privilege, we find that we’re also actually learning. This is a bit shocking. Europe isn’t supposed to be for education, it’s supposed to be for crazy adventures.
But with the right professors, learning can also be a “crazy adventure.” The faculty in Heidelberg is amazing. Our teaching staff is composed of two insanely smart — or perhaps just insane — professors of humanities, a kindhearted and lovable German instructor, an academic-coordinating, German-teaching, life-guiding super-heroine and our visiting faculty father-figure.
These five very different educators are united by their shared passion for educating 46 confused young Americans. They have dedicated the majority of their time to making us comfortable in Germany, and they do this by constantly taking us out of our comfort zones.
Dr. Bruno Lerner, the resident professor of humanities, informs us about all things that were, are, or may one day be considered historical. He possesses an uncanny ability to surpass our textbooks and lecture for hours out of his own wealth of knowledge.
Dr. Martin Sattler, the remaining half of this daredevil humanities duo, teaches us about all the art we could ever want to know. His flavorful teaching methods involve a unique combination of incredible familiarity with art and an unusual sense of humor that ensures we are always paying attention.
He once described his teaching method during class, saying, “You see, this is how it works: I make a joke. You laugh. Oxygen begins to flow to your brain. You pay attention again.”
We always leave his class stunned, smiling and usually with a better understanding of art.
Frau Christina Wuttke, a professor of German, adds another element to the teaching force of this faculty group by encouraging her students to truly get to know the language and the people of Germany. Many students have taken up Wuttke’s offers to attend church with her or participate in a German-only day each week. We have all enjoyed and learned from the emphasis she places on truly taking advantage of our surroundings.
The best word to describe Frau Mary Drehsel is multitalented. She teaches intensive German, which is three semesters of work stuffed into two. Considering that she has to deal with us at 8:30 a.m. after we rush to class half-asleep with a half-eaten croissant, she does a pretty good job. She also provided valuable guidance to many students in her role as academic adviser.
And then there is Dr. Milt Shatzer, our visiting faculty member. He’s the teller of horrendously bad jokes, but thanks to him and his wife’s hospitality, we enjoy him anyway.
So it turns out education is an important part of our experience. After all, we are still in college. And because the people who teach us are very good at what they do and work so well together, it’s just that much easier for us to accept.
11-17-2005
