We interrupt the traditional writing topics to bring you a hybrid blog of my life in Germany. For my family and friends, I have created this so you can keep up with my happenings without the expense of a telephone call, but with the ease of a text message.
I am currently residing in Munich, Germany and working as an intern with a "company". I choose not to disclose much regarding my posting because, while my job is the reason I am transplanted, it should not be the star of my blog nor should I discuss it. After all, there is only so much 9-5 chatter that my family and friends want to hear. Instead, I’ll focus on my assimilation into a culture that I am rather comfortable with, but that is not “home”.
My adventure started really when I got the internship. As the months started to count down and I learned the German rental system, I found a roommate (also my colleague) and an apartment. Now, I have moved a lot thanks to my military upbringing, but this is the first time I am moving a fair distance away as well as the first time living abroad. I don’t know my roommate. I have only seen pictures of my apartment. I speak and read the language, but I have a difficult time understanding when someone speaks to me. And the weather is eiskalt.
Basically, everything is out of my comfort zone, but just at the edge. And to the edge of a nervous breakdown and into an episode of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” it did take me on my travels to Munich.
Originally, I was supposed to leave on the 6th, but snowy weather kept me from leaving. Then, in an effort to still get me to Munich on time, my travel agent booked me a flight leaving the next morning. Problem being, she booked me into Frankfurt instead of Munich. Frankfurt is about a 4 hour train ride (which I learned quickly) and Munich has multiple train stations, which I also learned traumatically.
Although it was stressful, I was reminded how friendly and generous Germans really are as numerous German strangers helped ferry my three rolling bags (extremely heavy, I might add though it is probably obvious since I was packing for three months and I am a girl) between different stations and on and off of busy trains. One rather charming German asked me “Darf ich helfen?” and proceeded to help me find the Frankfurt Airport train station, after I nodded my head and fought back some tears. Another woman, following my unintentional debarkation onto the München-Passing station terminal instead of the München-Hauptbahnhof station, helped wheel one of my bags from the train into the station. Many others, including a few gentlemen, helped lug my bags up and down staircases after I realized I was in the wrong areas. After today, I learned that vielen dank and danke schön really are universally appreciatated. And how appreciative I am that my parents answered the phone at 4 a.m. their time.
Sure, I have cried some tears, thrown some things and yelled swear words in both English and German (thanks Gwen for the “Dirty German” handbook), but I am here now and transitioning quite comfortably. I have met my German roommate and first impressions are positive. I moved into my apartment and it is wonderfully large, even by American standards (although my sheet rock-hard bed is not up to my normal bedding standards). The wintry and icy weather will be a challenge and I think I will need to find a gym in order to work out and not get frostbite. Then again, I hear it is snowing for the first time in like five years in my hometown. I hope everyone enjoys my little “snowy present”. It is sent with nothing but love! Guten Nacht!
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