Guten Tag. I am writing this after one full week of staying in München! It has been quite an interesting week, as I have had to adjust to many aspects of German and European life that are very different from what I am used to in the United States. For example, the locals and even many of the tourists greatly enjoy watching a foreign sport known as Fußball, which literally translates to “football.” However, this sport is played with the feet, unlike the football I am used to. I discovered the affinity for this game because there is evidently a tournament going on, wherein countries that participate in this sport compete against each other to be the champion of this “World Cup,” and the locals of this great city enjoy publicly watching the “matches” in Biergartens. Naturally, in order to fully experience the culture of my host city, I have joined the locals in Biergartens for this tradition during Germany’s first two games.
And this brings me to the next cultural adjustment about which I would like to write. The residents of Munich– more so than the average global citizens– enjoy Beer, which is generally consumed in Biergartens (“beer gardens”) and also on the subway. I have to say, it sure has been nice to be able to drink beer again for the first time since I visited Berlin last summer, since I am not yet 21; I forgot how tasty it can be!
(Myself and a friend getting to know the local cuisine)
The language learning itself has as much of a rollercoaster ride as watching Germany’s team play Fußball. I was originally placed in a B2 class because that is where I ended my program last summer. However, my teacher quickly realized that my wonderful German professors at Notre Dame had prepared me almost too well for the grammar lessons and vocabulary for this class level, and recommended that I move up to C1. It was naturally very sad saying goodbye to my fellow students from the week that I was in that class, but after a heartfelt “Auf Wiedersehen,” I entered into my new class today, Monday. This new class has allowed me to meet many interesting new people that I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to meet, such as a man from Iran, a woman from Brazil, and two Notre Dame students who live all the way across campus from me.
Overall, it has been a wonderful first week, and I can’t wait to further my experiences with this city and its many Biergartens as well as my language skills, as I continue to try to communicate with the people therein.