Community Reflection
After a very long day of traveling, we finally arrived in Munich! As soon as we got off the plane and collected our bags, our German student buddies met us at the airport and had traditional Bavarian pretzels and other goodies waiting for us (Bavarian pretzels are 100x better than any other soft pretzel, and that means a lot because I love Philly soft pretzels). We then took a train from the airport to the hostel where we were staying. The first difference I noticed between America and Germany was the robustness of public transport. There were trains every 10 minutes leaving the airport going in every direction with connections that could get you anywhere in Munich in about an hour. I was also greatly impressed with the cleanliness and tidiness of the trains! German’s take their trash collection very seriously, meticulously separating trash and making sure not to litter. There even is a rebate system for all bottles to ensure that no bottles are left on the street. We often saw people picking up bottles to return them for a rebate back at the grocery stores.
After settling into the hostel, the trip officially started. Throughout the following week we attended classes, went to traditional German festivals, farmer’s markets, hiked in the alps, and even went to Salzburg in Austria (shoutout the sound of music!). Throughout all my experiences, I did notice some quirks about life in Germany. Germans don’t really do small talk. Many of those I spoke to are comfortable with saying hello and standing in silence which is quite different than how it is sometimes in the US where not asking about someone’s day could be considered rude! I personally didn’t mind it; the days were so filled with activity that the small moments of silence on the bus or train were just as needed.
A Day (or Two) in the Life
We had the unique opportunity to experience a day in a German students life in two different scenarios, during a normal school day and on a bank holiday (a national holiday when everything shuts down and people vacation).
A normal school day for Germans starts early, most people have classes at 8 am and go till 5-8 pm. Definitely a little change of pace from my past semester at Pitt. We would attend class until around noon when we would break for lunch. There was a street right next to the University where we would go almost every day that had a variety of food from different cultures, all of which were actually really good and affordable (great for a college student). After class we would get dinner, do some work, then go sightseeing around the city which was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Then we would go home and sleep, ready for the next day.
On Thursday of the first week, there was a bank holiday, and as they say, “When in Munich, do as the Bavarians do”, so we decided to take a trip out to the Alps. The went to an alp town an hour and a half away by train called Tergensee. There was a really quaint lake town there that had the most beautiful views of the alps I had ever seen. We then hiked up and over one of the mountains on the way to another alpine town called Schliersee. The hike was difficult but had some of the coolest views I’ve ever seen. It is customary for many Germans on bank holidays to do some kind of outdoor activity. We saw so many people with hiking gear, poles, and various other accessories hiking up and down with us. It was awesome to see a nature centered culture out in the alps where people just took the time to enjoy what was around them. After the hike, we returned home exhausted but extremely satisfied.
It has been a very interesting and in time in Germany!