I’m a little behind the ball on this post, but I think time has been absolutely flying in Munich! My life here so far has been amazing and I can’t wait to see what else I have in store before I go back to the states!

Life in Munich has been really interesting. I can’t say that it is hugely different from Pitt or from my home in Rhode Island, but it’s certainly not exactly the same. One thing that has taken some adjusting to is that truly everything, apart for some restaurants, is closed on Sundays. I’ve already made the mistake (more than once!) of forgetting to buy groceries for Sunday and having to scrounge for food on Sundays. Another difference is that the public transportation here is amazing. Back home in Rhode Island we have very minimal public transportation, and of course Pittsburgh has the Port Authority Buses, but Munich has buses, trams, city-wide subways (U- and S-bahn!), regional trains to get you to nearby cities, and extensive high-speed trains to get you all over the country or Europe! All I bought was one month-long pass and I could go almost anywhere in Germany. That has been amazing

But it isn’t completely different, either. The people here are pretty nice, but overall will mostly keep to themselves unless you reach out to them. There is also an awesome variety of food here, similar to the US, but with some different options. Lots of Turkish food and they take Italian food to a new level of seriousness in Bavaria, but I’ve also had sushi, burgers, and more traditional Bavarian cuisine.

I’m living in a Jugendwohnheim, which I would describe as a mixture between a hotel and a hostel. Most days I commute about 45 minutes to the middle of the city (my wohnheim is on the outskirts) for a nearly four hour long German class. That has been quite the change of pace, but my German is improving so quickly! After class we usually go on a Pitt-led excursion, or we have the afternoon to explore by ourselves.

Munich is a really clean and beautiful city that I especially appreciate for it’s ease of transport and walkability and it’s gorgeous architecture. My friends on this trip and I have been often wondering why we don’t build buildings like this in America. Honestly, the city and way of life here have been amazing for me. It doesn’t feel as “go, go, go!” as the US often can, but it is still very active and exciting. I can’t believe how quickly the time is passing,, but I’m going to savor ever moment left!

Thanks for reading!

-Jill Reeve