Initial Reflections

This past week has been a whirlwind. We hit the ground running, visiting new places only on public transportation, which is a new experience for me. We had classes for four days and our first test here. But also during this week, we visited so many places that it is difficult to even remember where we went on which days.

So far Germany has left a good impression on me, but never in the ways I would have expected. The city people seem a bit hardened. We all seem out of place laughing and joking. However, if you visit a park or a place where people are relaxing, then you can see the people break out of their shells. But even still, they are reserved. Coming from the South, it seems a bit strange to be around cold, reserved people. However, under more consideration, I am sure that you could find this in the States in places like Chicago or other big cities not in the South.

The city is smaller than I expected. Greater Houston has something like a 40 mile diameter of coverage. It takes hours in a car just to reach the other side. Here, it just takes a bit over an hour, or maybe even less, to get anywhere you want to go on the slow public transport. The city is far more focused on pedestrian and bike traffic than any city I have ever seen. Houston has terrible public transport, so I have never really taken public transport until this trip. The long bus rides provide a good place to unwind and read, however, one does feel like much of the day is wasted on the bus. Despite this drawback, I really do wish that my hometown was this pedestrian and bus friendly.

Close to our hostel there is a small park with a nice lake for swimming. A few other students who and I have been swimming at this lake. To paraphrase my friend Dayton “Swimming here I feel as if I am closer to German culture than I have felt the whole trip.” It is honestly a surreal experience. We walked together for 5 minutes to a gas station, bought a beer, and then walked 5  more minutes to the lake and swam. I could not do any of these things back in the States. Sure I have lakes near to me back home, but they are not nice for swimming in. And sure in Texas, my parents can buy me a beer. But there is something about combining all these aspects together, and then just sitting in a park as if you were a real German. In a large group on the bus, or in the Museums, or on the streets it just feels as if we are a Calvin group in a foreign setting. But sitting on the grass in the park just watching the sun go down and the people chat and go about their ways, you can almost trick yourself into thinking you are a German for that one second.

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