From Jet Lag to Joy, Surviving Week One in Germany

My first place of travel across Europe and my home for the next 4 months is a smaller city and hidden German gem, Bonn. Once the capital of West Germany, Bonn gives travelers a taste of its rich heritage along with a spark of young life through the University of Bonn. I have come to learn that the city carries its fame as the birthplace of Ludvig Van Beethoven with pride. Where you cannot walk down the street without seeing a golden statue of him. Although Bonn can be seen as a city that is past its prime, that is not the case. Bonn is more than its historical roots, with its booming markets in the town square and vibrant botanical gardens.

My first impression of Bonn felt weird, as I arrived after a long day of travel, jet-lagged and in a pretty pessimistic state. Battling the cold weather didn’t help, but even then, I couldn’t ignore the charm of the city square. It felt like the heart of the community, surrounded by stunning architecture. The gold accents on many of the buildings gave the city an old-money feel, and the towering church in the center of town showed centuries of history that is not seen in the States. Still, at that moment, I was too exhausted and homesick to fully appreciate it.

A few days later, I was given a guided tour of the city despite the freezing temperatures, and began to warm up to Bonn. Learning about the city’s history from our tour guide helped me feel more connected to my new home. From its political significance as the former capital to its cultural pride in Beethoven to it now having a United Nations building towering above the Rhine.

As my first week went along, I began to notice the cultural differences between Bonn and life back home in the U.S. The first and perhaps hardest adjustment was the language barrier. Not everyone speaks English, so there would be times when someone tried to talk to me in German and I would either freeze or ignore them completely. Another part of their culture that shocked me was how people in Germany sort their waste differently than the US. There are a few more bins to sort your garbage, which was quite overwhelming at first, and I still have some trouble figuring out where all my trash goes. 

Now, after a week of exploring the city and getting into a grove, I can confidently say I’m settling in. Bonn is starting to feel less like a foreign place and more like a home. I’m excited to see what the next few months have in store and where my travels will bring me.

Donovan