Wow, I have been in Germany for 6 days now! It already feels like forever. Getting used to a new culture has been quite the adventure, and sometimes just a little bit overwhelming. From the moment that we got off the plane, and I couldn’t understand much that people were saying, I knew this would be an interesting trip. Occasionally you meet a person that speaks some English, but most of the time that is not the case. It was really helpful taking a German class last spring, because I am able to say basic phrases that get my point across. Of course if I don’t know what to say, I can always just switch to hand motions.
The biggest change living in Germany rather than at home/Calvin is that we are reliant on public transportation. I miss being able to just hop in the car and drive wherever I want. Germany has 3 main methods of public transportation which are: U-Bahn, Strase-Bahn, and the Bus. U-Bahn is the mostly underground rail system which we take to get to the further parts of berlin. The Strase Bahn is basically the same, and I still can’t tell the difference. In our daily travel to school and meals we take the bus, which usually involves walking a few minutes to the bus stop, and then taking one or two buses to the destination. So much walking. At first it was kind of cool to take the bus and U-Bahn, but the excitement has worn off now.
For meals here, we are pretty much on our own for lunch and dinner with the occasional group dinner. Breakfast is served at the dorm/hotel, which is pretty much bread, meat, and fruit. Ordering food can be a challenge sometimes with the language barrier and all, but I’ve come to understand the basic things they ask. It can be kind of intimidating to look over a menu and understand nothing it says, so you have to have an open mind about the food you receive.
It has been an amazing experience so far and I can’t wait for these next 5 weeks!