(Train stations don't always smell great.)
It’s only been a few days since my
last post, but I finally feel like I have the time to write something a little
more descriptive of my study abroad experiences so far. Just warning you now though, this one is going to be super random.
Germany is cold. Of course I knew that coming in, but I didn’t actually. It’s generally in the forties every day, which is exactly what the temperature was like in Texas shortly before I left, so no big deal, right? Wrong. Forty in Texas is so much different than forty in Bonn. Yeah, I know there’s no actual difference in temperature, but the wind! It’s insane! It took me about two days to realize that not wearing a scarf was just asking for pain—if you are planning to visit Europe during the colder months, please invest. You won’t regret it!
I am really happy that I chose a homestay. Although, I have to admit that sometimes I hear the other students talk about their relationships with their host families, and I get a little jealous of how much they seem to get along. Renate and Uwe are very kind and smart, genuinely wonderful people, but at first it didn’t seem like there would be any connection between us. The bluntness that I received from them was extremely off putting, and it almost made me afraid to talk to them for a while. But recently I have been able to speak with them more often, and I feel a lot more at ease. I can’t even imagine how some of the others are also having to cope with a language barrier on top of it all! I think the real problem is that we don’t see them very much, because as of now we only really see them at dinner, but they don’t even eat with us because they eat very early. But since Ibk and I are staying in Bonn this weekend, I’m looking forward to being able to spend more time with them.
So far, the only qualm I have with my time abroad is that I get very little time to myself. And even if I do get it, I don’t really want to take advantage of it. There is always an excursion to go on, classes to attend, homework to be done, trips to be planned, sleep to be had, food to be eaten, memories to be made—you get the picture, the list could go on forever. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved every second of being here. I love how busy and exciting everything is right now. There hasn’t been a single moment where I’m sitting at home, bored, with nothing to do. That being said, I am also a person that loves sitting and doing nothing all day. Sometimes the days that you just lounge around the house are the best days. There’s an odd feeling of bliss that comes from having no obligations—nowhere to be, nothing that needs to be done—but at the same time there are so many new things to do and see here in Germany that lounging around would be such a waste!
A lot of us went to Brussels this weekend and I was very disappointed to find out that I don’t remember nearly as much French as I thought I would. I did however know enough to translate what a few possibly drunk Belgian men called out to our group as we walked from the bus to our hostel. (PSA: catcalling is creepy, don’t do it.)
Der Kölner Dom—by far my favorite
part of our excursions. I did a presentation on it in German last semester,
knowing that I would be able to see it in person in just a few months. But it
was so much more than I ever imagined. First off, it was massive. You can tell
it’s big by looking at photos, but until you’ve craned your neck as far as humanly
possible to see the top of it you won’t truly understand. We went on a rooftop
tour and it was amazing to see how much detail that was put into every facet of
the design. Even in parts of the cathedral that wouldn’t be visible from the
ground were just as beautiful as the main entry. And lastly, the view--breathtaking.
(Edit: I meant to make a separate post about what I did in Cologne and Brussels but I never did, so I'm just adding some onto the end of this one. Enjoy!)
Friday, January 19
Today we had a class excursion to Cologne and went on lots of tours. First just around the city a bit, followed by lunch (I had meatloaf that looked like spam and tasted like ham. Yum!) and some free time, then the El De former prison and interrogation center, and lastly my personal favorite--Kölner Dom!!! It was magnificent, way better than I'd ever pictured. And the view from the top was absolutely stunning, I wish I could experience that every day. Next we went to get Izzie some smart wool and encountered the BEST outdoor type store ever. It was four floors with an oval cutout in the middle, centering over a pool (where you can test drive your canoe??). It was amazing honestly. (Although I must add that by this point the fun was a little dulled because my back and shoulders hurt so badly. Pro tip: pack as light as possible and use a backpack with a chest buckle.) And then it was time to take our bus to Brussels. We made our way to the hostel pretty easily although we did encounter a group of guys who called out "salut petites filles" or "hello little girls" a few times. The creep radar was broken. But we just hurried on past and are all good to go. I'll keep you updated on my first hostel experience--so far it's been good, I just feel bad for the poor dude that was sleeping in here when we arrived.
Sunday, January 21
Yesterday we started off with a free walking tour (Sandeman’s, highly recommend) and hit a lot of interesting spots—some with history, some with beer, and since no tour is complete without, one with a little peeing boy? (Manneken Pis for those interested.) Then we took a recommendation from our tour guide and went to try the best waffles in town. They did NOT disappoint, I’m craving another just thinking about it! After that we explored the city on our own for a while and ended up at the other group’s Airbnb. Following a never-ending game of ERS and lots of laughs, I finally located someone willing to go to the Wombats concert with me (long overdue! I bought tickets before I even came to Germany) and eventually headed back to the hostel, with a quick pit stop for more waffles on the way.
Following a sub-par breakfast (but hey, it was free) at the hostel, Izzie, Ibk, Joseph, and I set off to find the comic book museum. On the way, we happened upon a botanical garden and decided to pop inside. The main building inside the area was absolutely beautiful. I’d never seen one like it, and I loved how the greenery of the garden itself contrasted with the tall city towers that surrounded the space. It was definitely a sight to see. Now back en route to the museum, we ran into yet another amazing site. It was a large monument of some sort, and although we have no idea what it is for, we HAD to stop and take pictures. (I have since looked it up and it is called the Congress Column, or in French Colonne du Congrès, and it was erected to commemorate the making of the Belgian Constitution in 1830 and 1831.) Finally, we made it to the museum, and it was definitely my favorite activity of the weekend. It was a lot more modern and interactive than many of the museums I’ve been to before and I found a new favorite—Dickie comics. Next up was a late lunch, a walk to the train station, and a music-filled bus ride back to Bonn.
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