Today was an amazing day with so many new experiences. I woke up feeling much more well rested and ready for the day. We met in the lobby at 8am to take a ride on the streetcar to the University of Augsburg. This was the first major difference I noticed between Germany and home today. The transportation was so efficient and well organized that I was shocked. The streetcars came every couple of minutes compared to the busses in Pittsburgh taking up to an hour to come at some points. On top of this, the streetcars were very clean which made them much more enjoyable and stress-free to ride. As you can see in the photo, three streetcars were at the station at once.

After arriving at the University, we met with the German students and created a project that introduced our companies. The company I was assigned to was Grob. They create machines that create parts for many industries including the automotive industry. We then presented the project to the class. After this, it was already time for lunch. This is where I noticed the next big difference. In Augsburg’s cafeteria there are stations and people serve the food for you (it’s very nice to be given a portion so you don’t overeat). The biggest difference is that the food at University of Augsburg was actually delicious.

Next, we had a tour around campus which was had beautiful green space. Some of the buildings were slightly older, but still very nice inside.

After this we were sent on a scavenger hunt in the town of Augsburg and ended up walking through two different churches during this scavenger hunt. It was very cool to be able to see the city through the lens of a scavenger hunt and it made me view specific details closer. The churches here are nothing like back home. They are huge and have the most amazing stained glass and sculptures inside. My jaw dropped when I entered the church and saw the most intricate sculptures ever.

After this we headed to dinner at an Italian restaurant where I ordered a salad. It was pretty good. After that a group of us decided to head back to Pool City and play a few games of pool before turning in for the night. I found out they had darts and we played a game that came down to the wire but I lost. I’m determined to play again and win. It is about 11pm when I am finishing up writing this and we have to be up at 6am tomorrow for a 7am bus departure. I am looking forward to a great rest of the trip.