By Amelie Rieß. Like many other cities in the United States, Chicago can call itself a city of ethnic diversity, for it is a home to people with multiple backgrounds and identities. Still, this city experienced different waves of migration: In the 19th century, many people migrated from Europe and in the beginning of the… Read More Chicago: A City of Ethnic Diversity

By Steffen Wöll. University of Chicago The last day of September was also our last full day in the Windy City before our ways would diverge again—to Poland, Germany, and to other cities in the US. On this sunny and, well, windy Wednesday we visited the University of Chicago, which covers a large area south… Read More Chicago: Visit at the University

By Joanna Śnieg. On Monday, we had an appointment at Am Yisrael –  a Jewish Conservative Congregation in Northfield,  in the suburbs of Chicago. We arrived earlier, just in time to take part in a service. We were really lucky because that day happened to be the holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles, which marks… Read More Chicago: Am Yisreal

By Patrycja Lechwar. A Real Times Newspaper and Real Times Company On September 30th, we visited the Chicago Defender headquarter in Chicago. The newspaper represents the Afro-American point of view. It was founded by Mr Robert S. Abbott. We met their representative – Terry Winston – just in time, they celebrate their 110th anniversary this year.… Read More Chicago: The Chicago Defender

By Elena van den Berg. Montgomery, Indiana—what a nice change from the hurly-burly of big-city Nashville: fresh air, quietness, little lakes, birds chirping, lots of fields, and, of course, the Old Order Amish Community. One of the first things we learned about the community is that it does not only consist of the Amish but… Read More Montgomery: The Amish Experience

By Dominika Słowik. “People in USA have no teeth,” I said to my mama on the phone. You may laugh at me, but it was the first thing that struck me upon my arrival to the US. Skyscrapers, huge pick-ups, roads, highways, interstates overtake the landscape – that I HAD expected. People grinning at me all the… Read More Nashville: Martha O’Bryan Center

By Deniz Bozkurt. Thursday evening when we arrived at the Islamic Center of Nashville, a group of men was just performing their evening salaah. The president of the center, Rashed Fakhruddin, greeted us very briefly, excused himself to join the prayer. We silently watched the prayer of the small community, seven men with their faces turned… Read More Nashville: Visiting the Islamic Center

By Patrycja Lechwar. Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives On September 24th we visited the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives in Nashville. The library keeps the Baptists records with the aim of preservation. They collect materials which have something in common with Baptist life – starting from printed material and ending on audiovisual ones… Read More Nashville: Southern Baptist Convention

By Steffen Wöll. A lot of, mostly younger, people see Country music as old-fashioned, boring, or generally lacking the coolness or ‘badass’ attitude that is associated with more contemporary music acts. Maybe Johnny Cash didn’t get the memo when he entered the stage of the Ryman Auditorium on an evening in 1965. Drunk and in… Read More Nashville: Ryman Auditorium

By Sabrina Lehr. Today we gathered at the Tillett Lounge of the Divinity College. We sat down with Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Professor of History at the Divinity College, and his colleague former Dean Dr. James Hudnut-Beumler. They spoke to us about the history of non-violence in Nashville, its place during the Civil Rights Movement,… Read More Nashville: Vanderbilt University Divinity College