Die erste Woche

“All of the doors yet to open,

all of the rooms ahead—

they’re beckoning bright,

scary and new,

but I’m standing tall,

and I’m walking through!”

-The Life I Never Led from “Sister Act (The Musical)”

    This week has been…incredible. Challenging. Wonderful. Exhausting. I could use many adjectives to attempt to describe my experiences thus far, but none can perfectly summarize everything. I will attempt to be concise in this post and not ramble too much!

Die Stadt (the city)

    So far, Erlangen has been a lovely place to call home. Sidewalks are wide and often color-coded--red for cyclists and grey for pedestrians--making it extremely convenient for me to walk anywhere I need to (By the way, the importance of staying in the correct sidewalk section was a lesson I learned on the first day as I was carrying a heavy grocery bag back from Aldi and noticed cyclists kept swerving around me. Oops!). On Tuesday, I went on a walking tour of the city, which gave me the chance to meet other international students living here, marvel at Erlangen's many old buildings, and learn a bit more about the city's history. The activity I've enjoyed the most was walking around the Schlossgarten (castle garden) while sipping some local coffee and conversing in German with one of my new friends. This photo was taken in front of the Schlossgarten's spectacular Huguenot fountain:

Das Studentenwohnheim (the dormitory/student residence)

    I am very happy with my living quarters. With my own private restroom, a small kitchen space, and plenty of storage, it feels more like a small apartment than a dorm room. I am on the top floor, so I have a magnificent view of the surrounding neighborhood. 

Essen (Food) 

    Erlangen offers a wide variety of culinary choices. So far, I have eaten out twice: once at an Indian restaurant and once at a more traditional German restaurant called "Brasserie". I also felt quite accomplished when I ordered and paid for some delicious ice cream completely in German!

Die Menschen in meiner Stadt (The people in my city)

    Erlangen boasts a diverse and (in my experience) friendly population. Even when I mispronounce a word or struggle to format a sentence correctly, the people are patient and nice. Every bus driver has been patient as I try to pronounce the names of stops and streets correctly. When I bought my first Pullover (sweater) in German yesterday, the cashier was kind even when I misheard "neunzehn" (19) as just "neun" (9) and only gave him ten euro before quickly realizing and correcting my mistake. Last night, I learned that German waiters and waitresses do not need as large of a tip as in the United States, so I encountered a bit of confusion when I tried to leave a 5€ tip for a meal that cost a little less than 15€! Our Kellner (waiter) was kind and corrected me, explaining to me that only a euro or two is normal for a meal like mine.

    However, I understand that my experiences are merely my own.  Looking like I do with a name like Julia Schneider, it is incredibly easy for me to blend in. As of yet, I have not encountered any rudeness, impatience, anger, or suspicion from others. I recognize that I have a certain level of privilege and that my observations and experiences are not universal.

Meine Freundinnen (My friends)

    I have made two friends so far in Erlangen! By signing up for the local university's "Buddy Program", I have been introduced to two German women who have helped me tremendously. They helped me carry my luggage to my dorm, they've helped translate for me when I did not understand a specific word or phrase, they accompanied me as I acquired a German phone number, and they helped me establish my own German bank account! We had dinner together last night and engaged in wonderful conversations about politics, cultural differences, languages, and much more. Without their help, along with the assistance and support provided by Sam (son of Dr. Miner, one of my favorite professors) on my first day arriving in Germany, I would not feel as safe and secure as I do now.

Müde (Tired)

    Since arriving, I have found I get exhausted extremely easily. After a full day, I often collapse onto my bed in the evening, unable to even write an email. In the middle of the day at times, my energy feels completely depleted; I’ve had to return to my apartment several times just to take a nap. Adjusting to the time difference (Erlangen is 6 hours ahead of Ohio) is likely a contributing factor, but I believe the major cause is the mental fatigue that results from constantly communicating in a second language. While I am not afraid of making mistakes and I'm not ashamed to carefully consider my words (one of my German friends even told me yesterday that my German has improved just in the week she’s known me), it is mentally taxing to operate in a place where I am not yet fluent in the dominant language. 

    Letting myself rest and relax when necessary has been instrumental in allowing myself to recover my energy and process everything. While part of me is screaming, “Why are you napping? You’re in Germany, get out there and explore while you still can!”, the more logical, reasonable voice in my head knows that I will be here almost a full year, and to burn myself out before I even start teaching would benefit nobody.

Conclusion

    I am proud of myself for how well I am adapting to my new life and its many challenges. I think I am a positive representative for America and I am so excited for the year ahead. Bis später!