Postkarte von...

This marks the introduction of a new section - known as "Postkarte von..." - which exhibits some of the excellent travel photography and impressions from UTS students who are undertaking their In-Country Study (ICS) in Germany and/or the German-speaking part of Switzerland*.

We're also hoping to show the other side of the equation, that is, members of deUTSch and our Stammtisch from a German-speaking country and would like to allow us insight into their impression of Australien. If you'd like to submit a photo or a tale, please contact one of the execs of deUTSch or leave a message on the blog.

Here we have Steffi Dietz's very fine photo of green Ampelmännle (or Ampelmännchen to the non-Swabian types). The photo was taken outside a café in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin at the end of winter - note the traces of snow under the cars. Isn't it herzzereißend schön? Steffi is currently undertaking her ICS at another wonderful place, albeit at the other end of the country, namely Konstanz.

* Yes, some of the Swiss do speak Hochtüütsch, allerdings mit nem Aktzenli.

The times, they are a-changin'

Es weht ein neuer Wind and things are changing in Germany: the Ruhrgebiet is presenting itself as the European cultural capital of 2010, Gladbach has put an end to Eintracht Frankfurt's winning streak, and Til Schweiger didn't cast all his children in his latest film.

The changes come hand in hand with a more comforting development, namely the enthusiastic new executive team for deUTSch. Please make welcome:

Lebenskünstlerin: Flora Suen

Back from Konstanz, Flora will endeavour to find decent German bread in this city and present the local cultural scene for those who are adept at rumflanieren.

Stammtischler: Daniel Miller

Back from Regensburg and with the perfect initials for the job (Deutschmark & a German drugstore chain!), DM will organise our weekly Stammtisch.

Geselliger Schmetterling: Sophie Hohnen

Back from Tübingen, Sophie is our resident expert on the Black Forest Bollenhut and will keep the ground close to her ear for German cultural events in Sydney.

Außenministerin: Asja Šimunović

Back from Tübingen, Asja will network with the German societies from the University of Sydney and UNSW for joint social events.

Navigationsoffizier: Nigel Moore

Back from Göttingen, Nigel will organise bushwalks in the incomparable natural surrounds of Sydney.

Hunter Valley Daytrip

The Hunter Valley region is situated between Gosford and Newcastle, and is blessed with soils and weather that every viticulturist could envy. deUTSch however, is more interested in the products of the region: namely the world class wines.

This trip will allow those keen to explore more of Australia's diverse geography, as well as pamper their palate with wine, local brews, cheese and chocolate.

We will be traveling by minibus to Hunter Valley, and the cost is inclusive of entry to wineries and sampling, but not lunch.

Date:Sunday, May 25, 2008Time:8:00am - 7:30pmLocation:Meet outside UTS LibraryStreet:cnr Quay St and Ultimo Road, Haymarket
Costs are as follows (please purchase tickets before 14th May):
$35 deUTSch members
$40 UTS students
$45 Other

Tickets for the trip can be purchased at Stammtisch, and also at the Union Desk (Level 3, Tower Building). We've invited FRESS (UTS French Society) and the UTS European Society along, so avoid any intercontinental kerfuffles and buy your tickets ASAP!

Events in April and May

Study? Assignments? What do you think we are, uni students?

That's right, forget about the uni work, because deUTSch is going to keep you busy for the next couple of months with a multitude of cultural experiences!


German Film Festival

This month we're exploring German culture in the form of films at the German Film Festival. Details of "Reclaim Your Brain", the film we're seeing tomorrow night are in a previous blog.

Meanwhile we're going to see another film called "And Along Came Tourists" next Thursday night. A blurb about this contemporary drama can be read here, and you can book tickets here. The film starts at 6:45pm, and Stammtisch will follow at the Imperial Hotel at 8:45pm.



Kiama Day Trip

For all those wanting to get out and experience New South Wales' natural beauty, this trip is perfect for you. Kiama is a lovely quaint town on the NSW south coast, with imposing black cliffs, white sandy beaches and a natural blowhole.

Here are the details:

Day: Saturday 3rd May
Time: Meet at 8:20am at the big clock in the intercity hall at Central Station
Catch the 8:40am train to Kiama (return tickets are $13.60 Concession and
$27.20 Adult)
In Kiama: Visit the blow hole, walk along the beaches, picnic lunch (buy there or
bring from home)
Return: Arrive back at Central by 8pm
RSVP: Please send us an email, utsstammtisch@yahoo.com.au, by Friday 2nd May

How Long 'Til Smoko?

Brett Nichols examines all things ‘Aussie’ and more in this comedy cabaret. From taxis to morning tea breaks, from Vegemite to porn. A witty mix of the clever and the lewd - Brett appeals to the yuppie and yobbo in all of us.

This is a must see for all Germans wanting to learn more about quintessential Australian culture!

Details:

Date: Thursday 8th May
Time: Meet at Railway Square at 6:30pm (optional)
7:30pm at the Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Road
Tickets: Please buy your own from here

Stammtisch will be held after the performance at 9:30pm, at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel, 148 Enmmore Road Enmore.

Stammtisch at Bells Hotel



On Thursday 15th May, we'll be breaking free of the Clare and adventuring out to Woolloomooloo to take in the atmosphere of Bells Hotel. Before Stammtisch, we'll be having dinner at the famous Harry's Cafe de Wheels (I recommend the Tiger Pie).

Here's a review of the Bells from the Sydney Morning Herald:

It's as if the Bells was picked up by a cyclone, Wizard Of Oz style, from a quiet town and dropped here. It seems the only explanation for a family-run, honest, flagstone-floored pub with cheap drinks and no pretensions next to the CBD.

It's preferred by navy boys from the nearby base, too, which is good news for a girl who loves a uniform. While other local bars desperately woo the area's upwardly mobile newcomers, the Bells keeps its regulars loyal with warm service.

Gotta love those Navy boys!

Details:

Date: Thursday 15th May
Time: 7:00pm meet at Town Hall (optional)
7:30pm dinner at Harry's Cafe de Wheels
8:30pm Stammtisch at Bells Hotel, 1 Bourke Street Woolloomooloo



Stay tuned for more deUTSch events, and don't forget, Lernen ist kein Heavy Metal.

A Trivial Tale: FRESS vs. deUTSch Trivia Night

Ist es möglich, die Dentüchtigkeit eines Students durch einer geringen Menge Alkohol verbessern zu können? Na klar, es wurde schon mehrmals erwiesen – Studenten denken viel besser unter Zuhilfenahme von einem Bierchen oder zwei! Man soll aber nicht mit einem leeren Bauch anfangen, sonst verschwimmt alles ganz doll nach kurzer Zeit!

So war es letzten Donnerstag beim deUTSch gegen FRESS Triviaabend im schicken Loft Bar. Fragen über historische Ereignisse, kulturelle Veranstaltungen, geographische Orte und vieles Mehr aus Australien, Deutschland und Frankreich wurden die ganze Nacht gestellt.

Obwohl die Mehrheit der Mannschaften aus Studenten, die einander vorher nicht kannte bestand, wurden viele neue Freundschaften (oder mindestens Bekanntschaften) begründet. Braucht man noch einen anderen Grund, stolz wie Oskar zu sein? Ja wohl! deUTSch siegte über FRESS!

Der Spielstand steht jetzt bei 1:1 und wir freuen uns auf das nächste Spiel!

Upcoming Events

We've just elected a new executive and we're not wasting any time organising events! April is going to be a busy month, so let's just have a look at the next couple of weeks:

Tomorrow we're heading home to the Clare for our weekly Stammtisch. We'll be there from 7:30pm.

Next Thursday 17th April sees the first of our two German Film Festival excursions.

We will be meeting at 7:30 at Railway Square and commuting to the Imperial Hotel (252 Oxford Street, Paddington) for a short Stammtisch, before heading to the Chauvel Cinemas to see Reclaim Your Brain.

Reclaim Your Brain



Moritz Bleibtreu (from just about every German movie, including Run Lola Run) returns to star in this satire, which deals with Bleibtreu's experiences as a brash TV producer whose life-altering experience transforms him into a crusader against the stupidity of many TV programs, their producers and the audiences’ passive responses to those shows.

Sounds quite poignant!

Please buy your own tickets to this event. They can be bought online at: http://www.goethe.de/ins/au/lp/prj/ff08/boo/syd/enindex.htm. We recommend you buy tickets in advance to avoid any disappointment.

Welcome your new masters!

...well not masters as such, but at the AGM last week, we voted on our new executive team. So please make welcome the new committee...

President: Grant Quick. Grant returns for his second year at the top of the deUTSch tree.
Vice President: Fabian Watson. Fabian steps up to the plate for the first time.
Secretary: Rhiannon O'Donoghue and Luke Parr. The two old timers timeshare this year.
Social Officer: Tara Donnelly. Tara, organiser extraodinaire returns from a year in Germany equipped with heaps of great social ideas
Social Officer: Ksenia Belova. Ksenia also returns from ICS in Germany, and along with Tara has been sampling the German nightlife. She's now ready to turn it on for deUTSch this year.
Publicity Officer: Flora Suen. Young and exuberant, Flora joins the team this year before heading to Germany next year on ICS.
Publicity officer: Melanie Speet. Old and jaded, Mel was elected for her marketing genius, honed through 4 months of full time work (both the jadedness and the genius).

Congratulations all, get set for a big year!

You may have noticed we're without a Treasurer at the moment. Anyone who feels they'd like to take on the role, just email us at utsstammtisch@yahoo.com.au.

We're back and it's big!

Hi all,

Yes it has been a while since we've updated this old dinosaur of a website, having been distracted by Facebook. However, we understand that some people might not have Facebook and in an attempt to be fair, we've decided to update our blog spot.

Since our last post, things have really stepped up a gear hear at deUTSch central, with membership skyrocketing and members of our Facebook group tipping over 100 people in recent days.

Stammtisch has been incredibly successful in the first few weeks of semester, as was the apparently lovely bushwalk on the weekend.

Start of Semester Party

Keep the enthusiasm up guys, because we've planned something even bigger - a party at Markets Bar next Thursday night. Instead of Stammtisch, we're going to be holding an exclusive party at Markets Bar (in the UTS Markets Campus), with a bar tab and much hilarity I'm sure.

This is a chance for us to raise some much needed funds for the club, so we can subsidise events throughout the year. So bring all your friends and enjoy a great night!



Upcoming Events

Other events to look forward to this semester include an excursion to the German Film Festival in April, German/Australian movie nights at Fabian's place* and a trip to the Blue Mountains.

So stay tuned to this blogspot, Facebook and the email list for more information.

Email List

If you're not already receiving Grant's weekly email, and would like to keep updated, just drop us a line at utsstammtisch@yahoo.com.au, and we'll add you to the list.

If you're a savvy Facebook-er, just search for 'deutsch' and you should find our group page.

Bis naechstes Mal,

Mel

*To be confirmed

Beach BBQ

deUTSch is farewelling another semester by heading down to Maroubra Beach to basque in the sun, catch a few waves, play some beach cricket... or was sich eben ergibt. We will be having a barbecue/barbeque with authentic German Thueringer Bratwurst and a few drinks. If you would like to join us it'll cost $5, which will cover the costs of the BBQ and one drink, if you would like more to drink - and you probably will - please BYO. We will be starting off at 2pm on this Saturday 15th December.

If you would like to come to the event please let us know so that we can work out how much food to get. (Also, if you haven't paid your membership fee yet, we would really appreciate it if you did! $5 is all it costs for UTS students.)

Bundeena Bush-Bash

Another month, another bushwalk. With upcoming exams, what better way to recharge than a day off wandering the shores of the world's second oldest national park and lazing around on the beach?

On Sunday the 11th of November, we will be catching the train to Cronulla and the ferry from there to Bundeena. From there we will be walking about 5km south to Little Marley Beach, where we will be stopping for a relaxing swim provided the weather is nice. Once we've had enough of that we will be heading back to Bundeena and catching the ferry back to Cronulla. If there is interest and time we might have a look around Cronulla, it's supposed to be a great spot and I've heard you can have a riot of a time there.

When: Sunday 11th November
Meeting Point: Outside Hungry Jacks at the intercity train entrance of Central Station at 9:15am (sorry about the early start!)
What you'll need: Plenty of water, swimwear and towel if you wish to go swimming (nude bathing isn't as accepted in Australia as it is in Germany!), comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, food, camera, money for public transport und bringt das schoene Wetter mit :-)
Difficulty: ~10km return, relatively flat and easy
Duration: ~3 hours walking + beach time + Cronulla visit + travel time (it'll take the whole day)

Franco-German Trivia Battle

History has shown that the Germans and the Frenchies just can't seem to get along and as such, we have challenged FRESS, the UTS French society, to a trivia battle of epic proportions. The winner will hold rights to the claim of the nation of intellectual superiority! The battle will begin at 7:30pm on Thursday 1st November in the Loft at UTS and will be replacing Stammtisch for the week.

FRESS have generously invited us along to share their bar tab for NO COST, so even if we do get humiliated in the trivia, we're sure to have a good time. There will be prizes and all sorts of cool freebies.

In the meantime, be sure to study your German knowledge, I'll be writing the German questions so I won't be allowed to answer them. We don't want the Frenchies beating us at our own game!

Oktoberfest

On the 18th of October UTS will be hosting Oktoberfest in the Glasshouse Bar (level 3 tower building)! It's going to be massive, there'll be beer, pretzels, live entertainment, games, a barbeque and much more. Things will be kicking off around midday and going into the evening. So if you have any free time during the day drop by and have a litre (or two). I'll bring you more details next week about the exact program.

Great North Walk Part 1

The Great North Walk is one of Australia's most famous bushwalks, covering 250km between Sydney and Newcastle. We thought it would be a great activity for deUTSch, albeit a little long, so we have decided to break it up into sections with the first part on Sunday 7th October.

We will be starting at Circular Quay, meeting outside McDonalds across from the station at 10:30am. From there we will be catching the Ferry to Hunter's Hill where the walking will commence. The walk will take us through suburbia and bush along the Lane Cove River until we get to Chatswood West. From there we'll be taking a bus to the nearest train station and returning home.

This will be our easiest walk so far, so don't be put off by the thought of muscle pain and fatigue.

When: Sunday 7th October
Meeting point: Out the front of McDonalds Circular Quay at 10:30am. McDonalds is directly opposite the station and easy to find.
What you'll need: Plenty of water, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, food, camera, money for public transport, gute Laune :-)
Difficulty: The walk is roughly 10km and is very flat. It's a good walk for beginners, but should also provide enough beautiful scenery to satisfy the hard-core among us.
Duration: 3 hours walking + travel time

If you plan on coming please either leave a comment on this post or let us know and we'll know to look out for you at Circular Quay. Hope to see you there!

Film Night

Those of you on the ball would have noticed that there is currently a German arts festival in Sydney at the moment - GerMany Faces. We will be going to the film night on Tuesday 25th September at the Chauvel Cinema in Paddington to see a double feature - Die Moerder sind unter uns (The Murders are Among us) and Die Suenderin (The Sinner). Both are classics from just after the war and will be presented in German with English subtitles.

We will not be organising tickets, please book your own (either at the box-office or online at moshtix). It will cost $14 for students to see both films. For more details please click here. All welcome.

New Pubs

Mel and I have been throwing around the idea of going to a different pub once every fortnight in order to spice Stammtisch up a bit. The reaction from the Stammtischler is positive, so we will be beginning this new format soon.

In the mean time it would be great if you could give us you recommendations. It does not necessarily need to be in the city, but it would need to be easy and quick to get to. Start voting with your comments and we'll see the best that Sydney has to offer throughout the rest of semester!

Bobbin Head Bushwalk

NOTE: The walk has been postponed from the original date and will now take place on the 9th September.

The UTS-Stammtisch is organising its first bushwalk for this semester. We will be walking to Bobbin Head in the renowned Kuring-Gai Chase National Park. We will start at North Turramurra and walk along Cowan Creek until we reach Bobbin Head, a popular marina in the middle of the national park. From there we will either return along a bush track that provides stunning views of the creek and surroundings or go to Mt Kuring-Gai station via Appletree bay. It's a must for nature lovers!

When: Sunday 9th September
Meeting point: We will be catching the 9:58 train from Central to Turramurra (arriving 10:40) along the North Shore Line. At Turramurra a short bus connection will take us to the national park.
What you'll need: Plenty of water, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, food (or you may wish to purchase food, which is available at Bobbin Head), camera.
Difficulty: The walk is roughly 10km and is moderately hilly. It will be easier than the last walk that we did for Stammtisch. As long as you can walk 10km you should be fine, we will not be walking terribly fast.
Duration: 4 hours?

Please let us know if you plan to come, hope to see you there!

Wine tasting in the spirit of Franco-German cooperation

Hunter Valley wines are arguably some of the best in Australia, if not the world, and thanks to UTS's French Society, FRESS, you have the chance to sample them for yourselves.

FRESS has organised a Hunter Valley wine tasting trip, and has opened admission up to us luck German students in the spirit of modern day Franco-German cooperation.

When: Saturday the 22nd of September from 7.45am to 7pm-
Cost: Tickets are $75 for members and $80 for non members. This includes air-conditions coach travel, lunch and wine tasting at three different vineyards.
Where: Pick up from either UTS Library or Hornsby Station.

Tickets must be purchased before the 9th of September and can be bought from the FRESS stall at Clubs Day on Thursday Aug 16 in the Tower Building, or at any of the trivia nights. Otherwise, you can email uts_fress@yahoo.com.au and arrange payment that way.

Hope to see you there!

UTS Stammtisch scientifically proven to ward off uni blues

Hi all,

Welcome back to the new semester! I hope you've had a nice break, and are ready to tackle the next 14 weeks head on!

If not, Stammtisch is out of hybernation and we're here to help you through your uni blues, allowing you to come to the Claire every week and vent your spleens over a beer or three about that lecturer you can't (under)stand, and that tutor who stands threateningly over you as you try valiantly to make a comment in class... and all in German!

We look forward to seeing you TONIGHT at the Claire (opposite the UTS tower building) at 7:30pm, and every Thursday night after that.

See you tonight!

More End of Semester Changes

Hey guys,

Due to unabating bad weather and a general lack of enthusiasm for the Stammtisch BBQ (yes, I understand that many of you
have gone travelling/home), I've decided to relocate and invite all-comers to drinks at the Cricketer's Arms pub in Surrey
Hills this Sunday!

It's a fundraiser for a charity called Fochta, which provides relief and assistance to communities in Malawi in Africa. All
profits from the bar will go to the charity.

The details are:
Sunday 1st July, Cricketer's Arms (for address see the attached invitation), 2-7pm.

So come along, apparently the pub's pretty cool, and have your drinking shoes on (I'm sure I will!). If you want to see where
your money's going, go to the website: www.fochta.org.au

Hope to see you then, or at the Tandem party on Friday!

Mel

Date for end of semester BBQ set

Hey guys,

Contrary to the email sent around earlier in the week, I've decided to hold the bbq next weekend, on Sunday 1st July. This is because of the torrential rain that's unlikely to subside by this weekend, and because several people still have exams next week.

I still haven't sorted out a venue yet, although I am thinking of a park overlooking the harbour... any suggestions would be more than welcome - basic requirements are: harbour/water view, bbq area.

Sorry to those of you who won't be able to make it that weekend!

So here are the details as of today:

When: 3pm, Sunday 1st July for BBQ, then we'll head to the city in the evening for drinks, etc.
Where: to be confirmed (when I have the location, I'll also include transport directions)
What to bring: food you'd like to bbq, drinks, I'll organise salads, etc.
RSVP: mid-next week (please RSVP either on the website, or send me an email - Melanie.Speet@student.uts.edu.au, so I can anticipate what the turn out's going to be like)

Stay tuned to the website for more info as it comes to hand!

I will also be at the Tandem Farewell Event on Friday 29th June, 5-8pm, held at the Loft.