A trip to the police station...

No no no, I wasn't at the police station for anything bad.

Once a week during class, we split into groups and visit different parts of the city, and today our group went to the police station. I thought it was going to be really boring, but it was actually quite interesting! The police 'spokesman' took us up to the conference room and just told us all about the German police system and how it's different from the American system, and a lot of other interesting things. I was really happy just because I understood just about all he said, and he was speaking pretty quickly...though verrry clearly which made him easy to understand. If only everyone could speak that clearly!

Some of the most interesting things he talked about were the death penalty and guns. When we asked if Germany had the death penalty, he responded with a big "NEEEEINNNNN!" as if it were some kind of taboo. He explained how the way Germans see it (the majority at least) view the death penalty as based too much on the notion of revenge, which is not the same as justice. Then he talked about cops and guns and how unlike in America, cops don't wave around their guns in Germany. If they're tackling a bank robbery, then yes. But for lesser crimes, they think the guns just make things worse.

He also talked about how the biggest things die Polizei deal with are public drunkenness and fights between soccer fans of opposing teams. In America, we go to a football game, say some mean things, and then just basically go home. In Germany though, the police must anticipate these fights when there are big games coming up and must stand guard at train stations and such where opposing fans are going to meet (Heidelberg being one of those main meeting points)

After his talk, we went to the basement to see the kleines Gefaengnis (small prison) where they can only hold people up to two days. The cells are mostly for kids who get drunk, they're required to spend the night there and pay 40 euros, and then the German system figures that the kids are too scared to try it again.

Tomorrow the group is going on a study trip to Frankfurt. It's so funny because Herr Doerr was explaining the rules and saying how there is no drinking allowed, so I figured that meant...well, no drinking. But then he says, you know, if you want to have a beer or a glass of wine at lunch, that's fine- just no walking around drinking the beer that's in your bag. WAS?! Just such a completely different mindset!

Yesterday was Fastnacht (=Mardi Gras), so we got to watch the parade down Hauptstrasse and get some candy thrown to us. The whole city was in costume and getting very intoxicated (quite a sight to see grown men and women drunk in the streets). Unfortunately I couldn't go out last night because we had a lot of homework and a test this morning (yes, we actually do get work abroad...) but it was still fun to see everything. And now it's Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent...hurrah.