By today, I was finally over the jet lag and actually felt fully locked in. We had another early wakeup for a long ride to Regensburg, with our first stop being Continental—the company my group is working on for our project. It felt surreal pulling up to the place I’d been researching for weeks.

When we arrived, our group was split in two, and I toured the factory first. Our guide was a former employee who had been with Continental since there were less than 100 engineers. Hearing how much has changed since he started really put things into perspective. Compared to the MAN factory from yesterday, Continental felt a little more low-key and hands-on. MAN was massive and ran like a machine—literally—but Continental felt more focused on precision and the details behind smaller components. The circuit boards we saw being made were insanely intricate, and I started to realize how much hidden work goes into the electronics we take for granted in a car.

After the tour and a quick break, we headed into Regensburg for the second half of the day. I wasn’t expecting much, but it ended up being my favorite city so far. It’s one of the few cities that wasn’t bombed during WWII, so everything is original—no rebuilds, just untouched beauty. Walking through it felt different. You could feel the history in the streets, but at the same time, it had this calm, lively energy.

I ended up finding this small Oktoberfest-style carnival that felt super local but also weirdly American—games, food stands, loud music, the whole vibe. It was a fun surprise. After that, I just walked along the river for a bit and took it all in. The weather was perfect, the views were unreal, and it was one of those rare moments where everything just felt still.

Between seeing a company I’ve been diving into for class and getting to explore a city that felt so authentic, this day definitely stood out. Both Continental and Regensburg had their own pace, and I appreciated every bit of it.