Today we arrived in Germany after a long day of travel! Instantly as we got off the plane I was struck by many unfamiliar brands and advertisements I could not read. However, one thing I found very fascinating was a watch advertisement I saw by baggage claim. I recognized the face of Bastian Schweinsteiger, a German soccer player. I thought this was very cool because in America, soccer players typically aren’t the athletes featured in ads. On the ride to the hotel I was mainly stunned by two things; first, their taxis are all Mercedes-Benz cars! I found it odd that something considered so high-class in America was used as a taxi service. I was also struck by the landscape. Our ride passed through many rolling hills that were a lot less steep than Cardiac Hill in Oakland. It felt nice knowing I would not be trudging up many hills while I am here.
Once arriving at the hotel and taking a moment to recover from hours of travel, we went on a tour of Augsburg guided by the University of Pittsburgh’s very own, Dr. Feick. It was unique to walk around a city lined by cobblestone streets with thousands of years of history. Sadly it was cold, so cold that we even had snow for a few minutes. Other than the weather the tour was wonderful; we finally got to see Rathausplatz, the Augsburg Town Hall, and the Perlach Tower after seeing countless pictures! Seeing The Dom was also breathtaking; the architecture is unlike anything that we have in America. I found it amazing that something so large with such intricate detail could have been produced with the technology of that time. The next stop on our tour was the Fuggerei Housing. I was also surprised that the flats are still rented and lived in today after being built over five hundred years ago.
The final part of my day was certain to by my favorite: dinner! We ate at a restaurant named Köning von Flandern with German students from Augsburg. I was seated at a table with a German student named Freddie; it was a great experience to talk to someone that has lived with this culture nearly his whole life. Communication was flawless due to Freddie’s impeccable English skill. He told us that he started learning English around 4th or 5th grade and also spent 10 months in Wisconsin when he was 16 years old. For dinner I got the chance to eat real German food! I had pork with a potato dumpling and red cabbage. I absolutely loved the pork and the potato dumpling. I tried the cabbage but it was not my favorite. After dinner, a delicious apple strudel/turnover dessert was served.
The post dinner conversation was also interesting. Freddie had a huge interest in American politics and current events, much more so than Americans do for German events. He asked questions about Trump, the government shut down, and the construction of the wall.
Overall, it was a great first day abroad! I got to sight see in a city with years and years of history and sit down with a German student and hear all about their culture and compare it to ours. I am definitely excited for all that the next two weeks has to offer!
Highlight of the Day: Getting to know Freddie at dinner and compare German and American culture.
Low of the Day: Extreme exhaustion after hours of travel with such little sleep.