It is difficult to come up with an opening for a blog post about first impressions of Freiburg, since I really can’t remember the last time I’ve been this caught off guard by a city and by the new people that I’ve met. Freiburg itself is a lot more built up than I originally expected, but the cobbled streets and the imposing, intricate cathedral are exactly as they have appeared online. Although the weather has been cold and overcast the first few days, Freiburg is charming its way into my heart. After only being in Freiburg for a few days, I finally understand what so many people were saying when they told me how much I would love Germany. Freiburg is truly a magical place.

After a tearful goodbye to my parents at security, the bast part of my journey began. Without a doubt the best part of the last five days has been the people that I have met. Every single person, from friends I met waiting at the gate in Newark to my neighbors, has been so friendly and outgoing. When I left for Germany, I had met 5 other people on my program who were on the same flight as I was. After collecting our luggage and buying a train ticket from Frankfurt, our little troupe was 13 strong by the time we reached Freiburg. We had spent the afternoon helping one another load luggage onto and off of trains, hail cabs, and try to chip away the language barrier, and considered ourselves friends by the time we reached our destination. When I received my housing assignment, I was a little disappointed that I would be living in a single studio apartment, and not in a shared apartment with German and IES students. However, there are about 10 IES students living in our apartment complex, and 4 who live just 2 short tram stops away. Each one is nicer than the next, and we have all been making the 10 minute tram commute to the city center together daily, and tonight we headed to an Irish pub to cheer on the Seahawks, as 3 people with us come from Washington. I feel so lucky to have made a great group of friends only a few days into what will be a wonderful semester!

As far as my German goes…

I’ve still been adjusting to a new city and getting my lay of the land, but I’ve been trying to use German as much as possible. It is a little hard when I say that yes I speak “ein bisschen Deutsch”, and the Germans launch into a quick sentence that I don’t have a prayer of following. Although I keep practicing at bars ordering dinner and listening to the announcements on the tram, here’s hoping that I can get more comfortable and confident when I speak!

Today was a welcome break from the confines of indoor info sessions and headed out into the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) to Lake Titisee and Hinterzarten for a hike. It is only about 30 minutes outside of Freiburg by train and a popular destination by the locals. This morning the train was packed with people of all ages who were headed out to the forest to hike, ski, or sled! Yesterday we had some snow flurries which continued through the night, and by the time we left on the train this morning there was a fresh 3 inches throughout the city. Up in the forest was 6 inches of fresh powder against a blue sky, and we hiked for miles through a landscape so gorgeous that words truly do not do it justice. Thank goodness for cameras. I felt as if I had stepped into the set of ‘Santa Claus is coming’ to Town’, and was waiting for a winter warlock or a talking woodland creature to pop out. Instead, we only saw a lot of Germans cross country skiing and hiking through the Schwarzwald. We completed our first real German outing with ‘Kafe und Küchen’, a traditional Schwarzwald snack of coffee and black forest cake! Sehr Lecker!

Location: Freiburg, Germany