I write this diary on a sunny Sunday afternoon from my two-bedroom apartment that I share with my Korean flatmate in Wiesbaden, Germany. “Where in God’s name is Wiesbaden?” I hear you ask. It’s a small city (still bigger than Galway, though!) on the banks of the River Rhine, about 30 minutes from Frankfurt.
I’ve learned a few fun facts since being here. There is an American army base in the city, meaning about 6.5% of the population of the city is American. Wiesbaden is also where Elvis Presley met Priscilla, as he and Priscilla’s father were stationed here during the Cold War.
Tennis player John McEnroe was born here, and actors Reese Witherspoon and Debby Ryan lived here for a period of time in their childhoods.
I’m here for one semester, although the semesters are quite different in Germany compared to Ireland.
The winter semester starts in October and ends in February, while the summer semester begins in April and ends in July, so, I get to soak up the sunshine for one German summer.
My journey began a month ago, as I flew from Dublin to Frankfurt (one of the busiest airports in the world!), with four suitcases. Yes, I’m embarrassed to admit that I may have slightly overpacked.
I am lucky enough to have learned German in secondary school, so I have a fairly good grasp of the language, as I loved learning it in school. Nonetheless, I did a two-week intensive course in the language to refresh my skills and confidence, as I haven’t spoken the language in almost three years.
Although my proper classes haven’t begun yet, but I am extremely grateful to have already met some really interesting people from all over the world. I’ve met people from the Americas, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Although my course at University of Galway is Global Media, I’m studying International Media Management here at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (I’m a woman in STEM now).
I must admit, I’ve experienced a few culture shocks since arriving in Germany, something that I did not expect at all. Growing up, my family and I travelled regularly, especially to the Netherlands, where my dad grew up. So, I thought I was #cultured. I was wrong.
First of all, the shops all close here on Sundays. Supermarkets, clothes shops, bookshops, everything! With the exception of the tiny corner shop near me that opens at 5:30pm on Sunday evening, everything is shut. I like the idea of a day dedicated to relaxation, but not when I have failed to prepare the day before and am left with a singular carrot, a slice of cheese and some pasta.
Following on with the Sunday trend, no loud noises are permitted on Sundays in Germany. This means that you won’t hear anyone mowing the lawn, vacuuming, playing loud music, or recycling glass at a bottle bank.
As a student, I can travel for free on the regional buses, trains, and metros all over Germany. This works out beautifully on one of these Sunday afternoons when I can just hop on a train at my leisure to take me to Frankfurt, Cologne, Stuttgart, et cetera, et cetera.
Germany is a lot cheaper than Ireland; I’ve noticed so far, especially in regard to rent and groceries. Alcohol is much cheaper when bought in the shops, but a night on the town is about as expensive as in Galway.