Life has been so so busy the past week and a half since I’ve been back from Brussels and Paris! Coming back to Freiburg this time around really felt like I was returning to a home; from knowing the public transport to seeing the familiarity of the German language (who would have thought!) I believe like I am feeling like a Freibergian!

**Apparently the people of Freiburg are not called Freiburgers, as I previously thought, we learned that is the vernacular for the local beer, and that people are called Freiburg-ians!

I also cannot believe how much my German is improving here. I have really been trying to use it as much as possible and I find myself looking at the German signs and understanding them moreso than the English subtitles. I was having a conversation with my friend Sean the other day and he lapsed into German, which I didn’t even realize until someone else pointed it out! It is so rewarding to be able to use 5 semesters of German in everyday, and feel like I make sense and can understand other people!

Weekend Trips: 

With the program I’m on, we’re fortunate to be able to go on so many trips that are embedded with class, however this does cut into what every student looks forward to most when coming abroad, individual travel. Luckily, Freiburg is located in a particularly nice region in Germany, Baden-Würtenburg, with easy access to France, Switzerland and some lovely German towns. Last Saturday some of my friends and I took a day trip to Heidelberg, which was about a 2 hour bus ride from Freiburg. Heidelberg was a beautiful town for a day trip, we were able to walk through the Old Town, climb up to the castle, eat dinner at the house of 100 Schnitzels (a recommendation from my cousin Tom, who lived in Heidelberg for 4 years), and watch the sun set from a bridge over the River Neckar. Great friends, great food, and the weather wasn’t too shabby either! My German was also challenged this day, as I was asked in the train station while waiting for our bus that night to explain the difference between a flex price train ticket and a fixed price, auf Deutsch! I think I was able to get the point across, and it felt really, really cool to use my german skills to help someone who spoke no English!

View of Heidelberg Castle from a church 

Quaint Heidelberg from atop the Schloss (castle)

Valley awash in gold at sunset, taken from the Alte Brücke (Old Bridge)

This past Saturday and Sunday we enjoyed a very traditional Black Forest weekend. For weekend fun, most Germans hike or ski, so the regional trains leaving Freiburg are usually bustling on a Saturday or Sunday morning. On Saturday, six of us went skiing up at Feldberg in the Black Forest, and I was surprised at how I could keep up fairly well with my friends who had much more experience than I on the mountain! They were great for moral support, they even convinced me to go down a black diamond! Things went well until the last really steep part. I was just exhausted and freaked out, and spent most of my time making good use of my waterproof ski pants. Regardless, I definitely have gotten the ski bug and was glad to have such great company to do such a fun activity on a free Saturday.

A ski run at Feldberg!

Ski squad!

On Sunday the traditional German fun continued when I went with my friends Phillip and Sean on a hike through the Schwarzwald! We got on a train to Triberg, and walked across the tracks and into the forest. We scaled up rock walls, repelled using trees, trudged through snow as we gained elevation, and scrambled down a few small waterfalls. The weather was mild and slightly overcast, and it was great to be out in the density of the Black Forest. Just walking through and not seeing any other people was an experience in itself, although I half expected to find Hansel and Gretl walking down the path toward us at some points.

Hiking in the Schwarzwald, near Triberg

Stopped to build a little snowman!

Beautiful views of the dense Schwarzwald

A hint of blue sky!

A Freiburg study abroad pro tip: you will not regret packing (or buying!) your Bean Boots!

This upcoming week I have two midterms, and the week after is another exam and then off to Ireland for spring break! So far the weekend plan is looking like a day trip to Basel, Switzerland on Wednesday after class, then down to Lucerne, Switzerland on Friday, getting some homework done Saturday, and getting ready for a week in Ireland! Here’s to another week of adventure with just a ~dash~ of school!

Location: Freiburg, Germany