I arrived last Saturday around 8 AM in Frankfurt. Going through border control was interesting— it’s the first time I’ve ever really had to answer any questions. The border security guy was clearly confused, but luckily I’ve watched enough of Border Patrol: Canada’s Front Line to know what to do. I showed him the documentation I had from the DAAD and the Max-Planck Institute, and after he studied them for a few moments, I got my stamp and was free to enter. The Frankfurt passport stamp is incredibly dull, which was definitely a big letdown. I hung out at the train station for a few hours before my train to Köln, and there I got my first taste of just how different Germany is. Instead of McDonald’s or other similar eating venues, the train station houses many little bread/sandwich shops. It felt almost like the Panera bakery area, but they also have a bunch of pretzels and pre-made deli sandwiches. I got a sandwich that ended up being some kind of meat, lettuce, bell peppers, and a mystery sauce I now believe is mustard on a wonderful little bread roll.
When it was time to catch the train, I was shocked to discover that German transportation works largely on the honor system. There is no security to get to the inner city trains, and nobody checks your ticket when you get on. I think someone came by to check tickets midway through the train ride, but I only saw a few people actually showing tickets. I later learned that yes, German trains and public transport mostly operate on an honor system, but there is a very high penalty for riding without a valid ticket. It is a strange system that I am not entirely used to yet. My biggest fear is that I’ll accidentally ride an incorrect train, get my ticket checked, and get put on the Deutsche Bahn blacklist, but luckily I’ve survived this far without that happening.
Once I got to Köln, I took the short walk to my hostel to drop off my luggage, then went to explore the city. Köln is split by the Rhine River. I spent part of the afternoon walking along one side, then walked across a bridge to explore the other side. Side note to Cincinnati people: I actually went Over the Rhine, and it’s much nicer than OTR in Cincy :)
The night in the hostel was interesting. The best way to explain a hostel for people who don’t know is like a dorm-style hotel. I had a bed in a room of about 4 bunk beds (sleeps 8 girls). There was also a kitchen area and a large common area where people could go to hang out and meet other travelers. My overall impression is that they are a great, affordable way to travel. The kitchen was nice because I could get food to eat for breakfast instead of having to hunt down breakfast somewhere else. It turned out in my favor since on Sunday’s practically everything in Germany is closed.
The next day, I went to move in with my host family, provided by the language school. I got lost finding the train, so I ended up arriving late to meet my family. It turned out to only be a lovely woman who I would love to adopt me as a grandchild. She speaks very good English, which is very helpful, but she also repeats things in German and asks me questions in German to help me learn. She lives a 20 minute S-Bahn (commuter train, or something similar) ride from downtown Köln in an adorable community of townhouses. While I do not see her often, she has been super helpful and supportive, lending me cooking supplies and Tupperware and telling me some cool things to do in Köln.
This week, I’ve had my German language course every day until 1 PM, then gone exploring Köln in the afternoons. It is a great course, and in only a few days I feel like the German language is becoming decently familiar (not like I’m close to fluent, but it seems more manageable now). Luckily our teacher is wonderful, and understands our short timeline to learn “survival German,” so she spend the first few days introducing us to the language and has now started teaching us the skills we need to live day to day. Being in Germany definitely helps pick up the language more quickly. Especially since I look German, I always have the opportunity to to practice, even though right now it’s mostly me embarrassing myself and then having to converse in English. A for effort, right?
Köln has so many incredible things to do and see. It is most famous for the Dom, that big black church that helps define its skyline. Apparently it is the most visited tourist spot in Germany. Sunday we were able to see part of the mass, and then another afternoon we hiked all the way up the 533 steps to the top. I definitely struggled, but the view was worth it! It was weird to see the Köln skyline without the Dom, so we then crossed the river to the Triangle building with the Panorama to watch the sun set. What a beautiful sunset it was :)
Not knowing German and buying groceries at a German discount mart is quite the experience. I got lost a few times, and definitely didn’t buy pudding instead of yogurt once..... but the biggest shock is that they don’t refrigerate eggs here, and then on top of that, you only get 10 eggs in a carton. I almost couldn’t find the eggs and was highly skeptical of them at first. But good news (or bad news depending on how you look at it), the eggs here are delicious AND they are perfectly fine unrefrigerated.
I think it’s safe to say I have my first week in Germany under my belt. It’s definitely an adjustment culturally, but I’m starting to feel settled into the German scene. Besides, everyone looks at me or sees my name and assumes I am German in the first place. The only thing that ruins it is if I talk to them, but my goal is to eventually be able to get away with small interactions.
This weekend is Pentacost, so we have Monday as a holiday. I booked a last-minute trip up to Stockholm for the weekend to visit a friend, so stay tuned for more on that!
I think it’s safe to say I have my first week in Germany under my belt. It’s definitely an adjustment culturally, but I’m starting to feel settled into the German scene. Besides, everyone looks at me or sees my name and assumes I am German in the first place. The only thing that ruins it is if I talk to them, but my goal is to eventually be able to get away with small interactions.
This weekend is Pentacost, so we have Monday as a holiday. I booked a last-minute trip up to Stockholm for the weekend to visit a friend, so stay tuned for more on that!
No comments:
Post a Comment