October 13 2021
Greetings Whitman! I hear the treeroof of Walla Walla is donning its autumn garb, and I sure will miss walking under those giant golden sycamores in front of Mem at this time of the year. However, Munich’s urban forest is beginning to rust auburn and all shades of orange, and this Californian is loving the color and chill! Starbucks has definitely made its mark, and many Müncheners are enjoying pumpkin spice lattes, too. I am sipping one at the moment, while writing in a darling café just 20 minutes (by foot) from my apartment. I have been delighted to discover that most German cafés provide little spoons perfect for polishing off the best part, that delicious foam!
It’s been almost a month since publishing my last blog, as the past four weeks I’ve been on a dawn-to-late-night schedule (which at least feels) as rigorous as high school one was! I was completely unprepared for my program’s “Presemester,” which includes an intensive language course with lots of verb conjugations to memorize, and multiple cultural/regional studies courses with their own activities and excursions around the city to complete in the afternoons. This introduction to the Year of Study in Munich took up much of my time and focus, and perhaps was a blunt wake-up call to academics for my mind which has had a lovely drawn-out summer.
Not to mention, navigating the metro system of Munich (the underground is called the UBahn, and the suburban rail the SBahn) and simply factoring in the TIME it takes to move around in a city has been a mental challenge for me! I come from a small town where my high school, work, and play (the beach) were always within walking distance. Similarly, at Whitman, my whole life was on campus and it never took more than 15 minutes to stroll to the next activity. Talk about breaking the bubble, as I now have a 40 minute commute via the UBahn to Universität, or the neighborhood where many departments of the Ludwig Maximilian University are located. I am learning to prepare myself and my backpack for a day out and about: this means always having my water bottle (quite American of me, as Germans are used to paying for their water), umbrella (with which to refill my bottle when it inevitably rains, just kidding), and an extra pair of socks (common sense).
Munich rooftops! In the center distance the tips, Spitzen, of the Frauenkirche, Neue and Alte Rathaus can be seen.
The Temple of Diana in the center of the Hofgarten, a Renaissance-era palace garden, near the city center. It’s quite trim compared to the tree-filled Englischer Garten, which is bigger than Central Park in New York City.
I will definitely devote a later blog to the architecture, neighborhoods and my favorite haunts of Munich, but for now I’ll give y’all my brief first impressions of this city, which Germans call the nation’s biggest village. At first I disagreed, for while on my cross-city bus rides I’ve gotten a grasp of Munich’s wide girth. The variety of neighborhoods and kinds of people that live here is varied as well. However, I never have felt squashed by buildings in the downtown, or Altstadt, as the historic Frauenkirche (Gothic cathedral) and Neue Rathaus (18th century town hall) remain the tallest structures. I believe there are some skyscrapers here, but I haven’t yet come across an area that feels overwhelmingly “city.”
Munich may not be quite as clean and green as Salzburg, Austria, but there are countless parks, young deciduous trees that grow just about anywhere they can find dirt, and darling little street sweepers that must do a fair job despite their size. Perhaps near the main train station, Hauptbahnhof, the sidewalk feels dirtier and more choked with busy people, but I would certainly agree with the consensus that Munich is more laid-back of a city. It’s not without its honking drivers and strict bike paths, however! To survive here, you don’t mess with either. Finally, I’m sure that once I feel more confident navigating the city’s acclaimed public transport system without checking Google Maps every half minute, I’ll have a greater appreciation for the connectivity of Munich.
Near the Deutsches Museen (German Museum) along the Isar River, which flows through the city. I can’t walk ten meters in this city without seeing a bike, whether it’s in motion or leaning somewhere!
My apartment (which will also have its own blog, coming soon!) is fondly called the WG 6 (pronounced Veh-Geh Zehx), sits on the first floor (American second floor) of a student dorm in the Southwest of town. I have a bed and bathroom to myself and am blessed to share a common space and kitchen with absolutely amazing people. The nations represented among us are Germany, China, India, Turkey and the US (me) and my goodness do we have some colorful, spicy and delicious meals! My gratitude for our community is beyond words; the kind hearts and excellent cooks here fed my soul and stomach from day one. The generosity, friendship and true hospitality my flatmates share with one another is so heartening to me, I feel so blessed to be a part of our WG!:)
A view, ein Blick, into our common space in the WG 06! We were deep into a game of UNO. . .
The walk from the UBahn to the student dorms, Studentenwerk, on a lovely September day.
The other students in the Year of Study program are just as wonderful and call many different states in the US home. Most attend Lewis and Clark College in Portland, but there’s one student like me who comes from a partner college, Puget Sound in Tacoma. On my search for German-speaking community, I have attended a couple different church services and showed up to/signed up for multiple youth ministry gatherings or small groups. And I’m going for ultimate frisbee at the university, yahoo!! There is no lack of opportunities to get involved and meet people, though it’s a bit overwhelming for a lover of simplicity like me. I have met some fantastic individuals and felt so welcomed, even when I don’t understand much of anything being said. Yet I know the process of finding my people in Munich’s far-reaching social environments will take some time for me, as an introvert and slow decision-maker.
Some colorful goods fresh from the farmers’ market, Bauernmarkt, which comes each Saturday near my UBahn station.
Sour cherries, Sauerkirschen, yum! I spread some on a slice of rye bread, Roggenbrot, and it reminds me of my simple breakfast working on a little cherry orchard and homestead in the Lakes region of Argentina.
To be honest, after many long presemester days (though the weeks whisked by!) I walked back from the UBahn station to my apartment across the gorgeous little urban meadow (in which I’ve seen some hedgehogs!!!) surrounded by the beauty but caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. Perhaps others might relate, but at least when I am tired and stressed, those sneaky doubts and disappointments easily consume my mind. But sometimes a song of praise or a quiet appreciation filled me, and I could release it to the star-strewn or cloud-scattered sky above. I didn’t actively feel thankful each moment of every day during my first month here in Munich, but I know deeply that gratitude is the ground I walk upon, even when I forget to look down or squeeze the earth between my toes.
Now, I have a week’s free time before the fall semester (called Wintersemester here) begins. I will be reflecting on the many public transport rides, conversations, meals, moments of being lost and finding my way, new German words and phrases, beautiful masked and unmasked faces, opened and closed doors that have already come my way. It’s overwhelming and wonderful and I’ve been feeling it, and I stand firm on that ground of gratitude. And best of all, I am blessed to spend a whole year finding my Schleichwege, little hidden paths, through this beautiful place we two-legged beings call München, Deutschland!
Flowers for y’all!
