After our long plane ride we arrived in Munich, jet lagged but excited to get to know the area which we would call home the next two weeks. Almost immediately after we dropped our bags off at the hotel we went on a two hour walking tour of Augsburg. As tired as I was, I am very happy we did it because not only did I get to see the city and what it encompassed, but I also got to learn more about the rich history in Augsburg. We saw a model of the entire city and I didn’t realize how large it was and how much is packed into such a small area. We also saw the Augsburg Town Hall which was a highlight, with its yellow symbol and bright blue domes. There was one dome sitting very close to the ground as it needed to get fixed. The Fugerei was another site I found the most interesting. Founded in 1521 by Jakob Fugger the Rich, it is the oldest public housing complex today. There are about 142 single bedroom apartments, which have modernized on the inside, but the outside is preserved. The Fuggerei has 3 requirements in order to live in it. You must be needy/ not in debt, a resident of Augsburg for at least 2 years before applying, and be of the Catholic faith praying 3 times a day (the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Apostles’ Creed). Aside from that, I enjoy the rustic feel the city has and the light summer shades of a few buildings nearby. I loved seeing all the small canals and bridges (there’s over 500!). The views and culture in Augsburg seems amazing and I can’t wait to see more.
Tonight, we also got to meet the German students which was so exciting. I sat with all the girls and got to know them. They helped us translate the dinner menu as it was only my second time having German food and gave us recommendations for their favorite foods. I got Spaetzle which reminded me of an off brand cousin of mac and cheese. I had it once before and thought that this one was even better. The best part of the dinner was getting to know the German students and comparing life in the US to their lives in Germany. I learned that they had all done an exchange semester abroad and how popular/cheap that it is for them. It was interesting that their undergrad is 3 years and masters is 2 years. Their primary school system is longer so many of them are older than we are, but still in the same year of undergrad as us. Augsburg fashion is similar to ours in terms of brands, but they dress much nicer on a day to day basis, always looking very put together and I haven’t seen sweatpants once. While I felt like I had been up for days, this dinner kept me awake and excited for what’s to come. I loved meeting the students and am excited to work with them on our projects.
