Now that I have been in Cologne for a couple of weeks, I wanted to reflect on one of my favorite aspects of my experience so far: my “home” in Cologne. Though my educational experience is centered in the classroom, home life has been important to both my learning of the German language and my engagement in the local culture.
The Rhine River runs right
through the middle of Cologne, North to South, and divides the city into two halves: the “Rechte Seite des Rheins” and the “Linke Seite des Rheins.” Though it’s all one city, some residents like to argue that there’s a slightly different feel to each side, and there’s a friendly sort of rivalry between the two halves of the city.
For the first two weeks in Cologne, I stayed with a host family on the right side of the Rhine. They were great in so many ways! We had breakfast and dinner together every day, and not only was my host dad’s home cooking delicious and authentically German, but our mealtime conversations were informative, entertaining, and auf Deutsch, natürlich! This extra, constant immersion in the language has improved my conversation abilities and confidence. I also learned about the history of Cologne through their eyes, and got tips on cool places and events to check out in the city.
One such event was Dünnwalder Frühling, or “Dünnwald Spring,” a street festival-like event just a few blocks from the house! The event was attended by the surrounding neighborhoods and included a live band, games for kids, food, and tents featuring local businesses. I went with my family for the afternoon and enjoyed the taste of local culture!
For the past few days, I have been living on the left side of the Rhine in a different house. This time, I’m renting a room on the second floor, with three other students living on the floor as well, from Mongolia, Armenia, and Germany. It’s a new and unique experience to be able to interact with young people of different backgrounds beyond just Germans. Though we all speak different languages, we primarily communicate in German, again providing constant opportunity to improve even outside of the classroom.
The owner of the house and his brother, both native Kölners, are both extremely hospitable and interact with me on a regular basis as well. After moving in here over the weekend, Klaus invited me to go to an open-air museum with his wife and some friends for the day. The museum
was acres large and depicted life as it would have been here centuries ago, complete with real farm animals (that’s a goat with me!) and oven-baked bread from freshly horse-mill grinded wheat! Moreover, it was great to spend the entire day communicating in German and getting to know Klaus and his friends. It’s an experience I won’t forget.
