The university was honestly not what I was expecting. It felt very similar to some of the smaller colleges I toured in the United States. However, the lake and vegetation surrounding the campus definitely gave it a different atmosphere compared to schools back home. The cantina was awesome as well. From the students I spoke with, it seemed like they genuinely enjoy the food there. I ended up trying a meat dish that one of the students recommended, which reminded me a lot of meatloaf. I also made a salad, and the salad station was incredible—nothing like what I have seen in a typical dining hall in the States.
The city tour was very efficient in explaining the history of the city and the identity it was built upon. Another thing I have realized while being here is the sheer number of steps you get in during a normal day. There seems to be much more foot traffic and daily activity here compared to smaller U.S. cities I have visited. It was also unique, and honestly a little strange at first, to see people casually walking around with alcohol in public, since that is generally not allowed in the United States.
While exploring both with the tour group and on my own, I also noticed there were not many fast-food restaurants around the city besides McDonald’s. We ended the tour at a local brewery where we sampled non-alcoholic beer. Personally, I did not enjoy it very much. However, I was also able to order steak tartare, which was excellent. Once again, I was surprised by the price. It was 120 grams of beef along with vegetables for only 9 euros, which felt very reasonable compared to prices back home.
During some downtime, I was able to purchase a week-long membership at Fitness First. The gym was awesome and included very modern equipment, along with a sauna and cold plunge. It was definitely one of the nicest gyms I have visited.
The Italian restaurant we visited later was also very cool. The menu was massive and had more than enough options to choose from. If I go back, though, I would definitely order the pasta next time because the portions looked huge. The pizza was about what I expected, although the crust was extremely thin, almost like flatbread. Another neat feature of the restaurant was the large glass roof over the seating area where we ate. The bread and olive oil reminded me a lot of Italian restaurants back in Pittsburgh.
Overall, the food in Augsburg has seemed much fresher compared to what I am used to at home. The service culture is also definitely different here. In the United States, waitresses often seem overly attentive because of the pressure to earn tips. Here, the servers seem more direct and blunt, which I actually enjoy. Overall, I am definitely starting to feel more adjusted to life here in Germany.
