Herzlichen Grüßen aus München! The last few days have been a whirlwind of activity; I don't know quite where to begin. I arrived in Munich on Saturday afternoon jetlagged, tired, and more than a bit verpeilt, which, as I learned from a German friend who met me at the airport, is slang for having no idea what is happening. There were a lot of new emotions and a lot to handle; when I was taken to my dorm room instead of unpacking I went right to sleep (at only 6:30pm local time!).
Yesterday was my first full day in Munich, and it could not have been a better first day in this beautiful, vibrant city. First I went to Marienplatz, the old town square of Munich, which is filled with shops, churches, and restaurants built in the beautiful and very old buildings of the Old City. I walked through the Karlstor, a gate that served as the boundary of Munich dating from the late middle ages, and strolled down the Odeonsplatz, a historic parade site that also served as the location for Adolf Hitler's attempted coup in 1923. The whole city is alive with music and history and art, and the feeling I had surrounded by the actual locations of events I have spent years reading about is indescribable. Despite all the fascinating history, Munich feels in no way like a museum piece. The ornate and imposing medieval architecture blends somehow seamlessly with the sharp, clean lines of modern buildings; the plazas where soldiers once marched are now alive with tourists and street musicians. Before I arrived in Munich I thought the modernity of the city might feel to me like a violation of its rich and occasionally dark history, but I actually feel the opposite: that so many historical buildings are still standing and relevant and in use after so many years makes their history feel all the more real and alive.
In the afternoon I took a walk through the Englischer Garten, a beautiful public park. It reminded me a bit of Point Defiance in Tacoma, different and yet slightly the same. We followed the river through the many winding paths of the park, feeling very calm and contented.
After cooking dinner, I went with 6 other students from America to the Hofbräuhaus, one of the oldest and biggest beer halls in Munich. Located in Marienplatz, it's a wonderful and lively spot with a Bavarian brass band playing in the main hall which echoes through the whole building. We sat outside (even though the weather here is much cooler than it is in the US!) and spent several hours drinking delicious German beer and eating pretzels and schnitzel.
All this excitement and fun, however, has not been without it's challenges. Things here still feel very strange and new, things that I took for granted in the US I am now very uncertain about. It feels strange to be spoken to in German, and stranger still to respond in German, but I find I am much more deliberate with my choice of words because I have to think more carefully when speaking. This transition is difficult, naturally, but made much easier by the patience of the native speakers I have encountered. Before I left I was a bit nervous about interacting with Germans because of their stereotype as cold, humorless, and even unfriendly, but the Germans I have met are friendly, talkative, and very funny--the opposite of the way Germans are so often described. People have been very patient with my slow German and they seem eager to tell me about their city and its customs. They have great love for Munich, and after just one day here I see exactly why.
Not only are the German people different from what I expected, but I also feel quite different than I thought I would. I tend to be quiet and a bit nervous at home, and I thought these traits would be heightened when I was thrown headfirst into a brand new culture, but I have been more talkative and adventurous than I ever was in the US. The best way to learn about a new culture is to experience it, and I cannot wait to experience more of this beautiful and lively city.
(Pictures are coming soon!)
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