Math and Freedom

So Spring Break officially started today! I am super excited, as this is my first “real” spring break.  Most breaks I go home to visit family or go snowboarding with friends and family.  This is the first time I will be out on my own (in a foreign country) enjoying my spring break with other college students, and I am super excited.  I am part of the group going to Barcelona, where we plan to lounge on the beach even if it is only 65°F outside.  Of course though, we still had class today so it wasn’t just celebrating the break all day long.

Today the group took a trip to the Arithmeum, a museum and mathetical research institution located near Bonn University.   At first when Dr. Moore told us he had arranged a visit to a math museum, I was a little skeptical.  I mean, I am an engineer and all but I am not someone who would voluntarily go out and seek even more math.  I am glad to say that I was surprised by the museum and got really into the displays.   The museum showed the evolution of what you could loosely call calculators from the very beginning (counting sheep with rocks) to the start of a recognizable system (abacuses) all the way up to complex mechanical machines that could add, subtract, multiply, and divide.  The machines were so complex and fun to look at, and the guide walked us through how each of them worked.  She even opened up some of the cases, turning the cranks so we could see for ourselves instead of just listening to her talk.  The museum also had some displays that you could operate yourself and the entire group got a kick out of turning the crank and calculating.  Everyone was having so much fun doing math, it makes you wonder if we lost something along the way.  I know I for one do not have that much fun using an electronic calculator.  So despite my misgivings, I really enjoyed the museum and made sure to thank Dr. Moore afterwards for taking us there.

After the museum visit was lunch and then a class (which I thankfully did not have to go to ) and then it was break! I spent a lot of time outside in the sunlight, munching on plums that I had bought in the market and running errands.  After class all of the girls still left in Bonn went out for a little shopping and then split up to go pack.  I am proud to say everything I am brining fits comfortably in one suitcase.

Anyways, I hope everyone has a fantastic spring break and see you in a week!