Today, after much travel and little sleep, we arrived in Germany. Before we had even left the airport, I had already begun to observe the subtle differences between Germany and home. In particular, I was reminded of the Germans’ strong environmentalism when I saw the reusable hand towel in the bathroom as opposed to the standard paper towels found in American bathrooms. As we got on our bus and headed toward Augsburg, I continued to notice evidence of the German green thumb. Solar panels lined the sides of the highway; wind turbines towered above the woods; and sound barriers flanked the highways in an effort to reduce noise pollution. While all of these things certainly exist in the United States, they seem to be much more common here in Germany.

Another thing I found interesting on the ride to Augsburg was the mix of car makes and models on the highway. Nearly every car that passed by was a domestic-brand car, such as BMWs, VWs, and Audis. This is in stark contrast to the US, where American-made cars form only a fraction of those on the road.

Once in Augsburg, we checked in to the hotel, received some important information and documents from the German staff, Sonja and Marius, and then proceeded with a walking tour of Augsburg, led by Dr. Feick. We toured Königsplatz, the pedestrian district, the Dom, the Rathaus, and more. I was quite impressed that they were able to repair the Rathaus so well after its bombing in World War Two, and I found the plaza outside of it to be a nice little area, although it could use some warmer weather.

We then toured the Fuggerei, a complex that provides social housing courtesy of the wealthy Fugger family. I found the idea to be quite progressive for its day. Has such an operation ever been attempted in the United States? I would guess not due to differences in cultural views of the plight of the poor.

Once the tour concluded, we headed to dinner at König von Flandern. I had a delicious Dunkelbierbraten dish and enjoyed conversation with two German students and a fellow Pitt student. I found it interesting that both the German students found European and German politics boring; all eyes seem to be on US politics, both at home and abroad. It also surprised me to hear that they do not have majors in the Augsburg business program; there is just one international business administration “track” instead of the variety of majors, such as Finance, Marketing, and Accounting, that Pitt Business offers. I think that I would prefer the flexibility that Pitt’s program provides, although I’m sure that Augsburg’s program is well done too.

Upon finishing dinner, we headed back to the hotel to prepare for the next day. Just like that, the first day in Germany had passed! I enjoyed my first look at Augsburg, and I was satisfied to observe that many of the things I had learned about in German class the previous semester, such as the prevalence of German environmental efforts, were plain to see. I look forward to continuing to observe and explore German culture as we head to the University of Augsburg tomorrow and a number of German companies later this week.