As we started to descend for our landing, the first thing I noticed was the vivid green and yellow fields. The color of the fields looks so much more vivid than back home. When we exited the plane, the first thing that caught my attention was the quietness. In my mind, I assumed Germans were loud, but they weren’t. They’re actually very quiet in public in comparison to us. When walking through the streets, it is very peaceful.

After leaving the airport, we caught a bus from Munich to Augsburg, which was about an hour long. This ride was nice, I got to see the landscape of the country. After arriving at the hotel, I was surprised by how tight the rooms were, especially the beds. It’s funny because they have the beds literally right next to each other; it’s not like in the States, where the beds are at least separated by a nightstand. As we walked around the city, I was amazed by how detailed everything is. In America, we have so many steel and glass buildings. After seeing these buildings, it made me realize that we have lost some of our creative will as people. I loved how different buildings had different colors; they were each unique in their own sense. One of the things that really stood out to me is how walkable the city is, and everyone rides bikes. In America, we lock our bikes up; over here, they don’t worry about that at all. They seem very connected as a community. 

The legacy of the Fugger family is still visible in Augsburg through landmarks like the Fuggerei and the Fuggerhäuser, which reflect their immense wealth and influence. They also shaped the city’s religious life by funding churches such as St. Anne’s Church, showing their close ties to the Church. These sites highlight how the Fuggers influenced Augsburg’s architecture, religion, and early financial systems during the 15th and 16th centuries.

A question that I would ask: How does the city do so well at controlling the homeless people on the street and keeping the streets clean? I also wonder how they are so connected as a city?