Hallo! I have been in Freiburg for two whole weeks now and I can confidently say that I am very much enjoying myself here. Mistakes have been made, money has been spent, but I am still here and the sun is still revolving around this precious planet.
I didn’t love Freiburg at first. I was welcomed to this supposed “green city” by ominous gray skies, a row of ugly square buildings, and what appeared to be an exact replica of my local Starbucks down the street. I spent my first few days in Freiburg bedridden and jet-lagged. Lying down for a “short nap” was a gamble, one I always seemed to lose. I had arrived here early with this time-difference in mind as well as enough “hawaiian” goodies to feed an entire army of Little Einsteins. My mother always sends me away with gifts and treats for potential new friends, family-in-law, flatmates, and teachers. Without her, I wouldn’t be able to bribe people to be my friend.
The IES: Environmental Studies Fall 2023 program started on the 27th of February. My winter break was two-months too long and I was anxious for a fresh start. My first week with IES involved a lot of PowerPoint presentations on some very exciting things like health/safety and a somewhat strict academic policy. I am an introvert at heart so I ended each day of that first week absolutely exhausted and burnt out. That being said, once I found my bearings in the form of a favorite local coffee shop and got used to walking on cobblestone in converse, I found myself falling for the beauty of Freiburg and falling fast. Though Freiburg is both a university town and a retirement oasis of roughly 235,000 people. It is safe—much safer than the places I am used to being in. The scariest thing about Freiburg is how fast the bikers will zoom past you. That being said, health care is basically free here so a trip to the emergency room as a result of getting hit by a bike won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
My favorite part of the day is the 20-minute commute to class. I take the Straßenbahn-3 to the city center and enjoy some very precious alone time. The public transportation here is exceptional in every way. Punctual and clean, the trams here rivals all the confusing public transportation systems I’ve had to navigate in my life thus far. My dorm is located in Vauban <3. These dorms are a little rough around the edges, which makes sense considering the fact that they used to be army barracks. If you lived in Anderson, you will be fine. Those that loved living in Stanton may struggle with the reclaimed-metal aesthetic. Vauban is somewhat of an environmental experiment, a guinea pig community focused on sustainability. It’s a crunchy and granola sector of the city. The vibe vaguely resembles that of Whitman’s Outdoor Program which is why they put most of the kids in the IES: Environmental Studies and Sustainability Program in the dorms here. The property surrounding the Studentendorf is home to over 200 adults, children, young people, and “box-car dwellers” living in shared spaced that encourage more environmentally-conscious community living at an affordable price. It may look scary, but I promise you it is safer than walking down Issacs Avenue in Walla Walla at night.
Even though I’m in a different country, where ‘pretzel’ is spelt ‘brezel’, I am still very much the same person. Not much has changed. I still get anxious. I still hate the smell of tuna. I still listen to Taylor Swift when I am happy, sad, or confused. Going abroad doesn’t really change who you are, but it gives you a heck of a lot of perspective about the world and the fluidity of your place within it. I am scared, but mostly excited for all that this experience will bring me in the form of friendships, knowledge, happy little accidents, and silly mistakes. On that note, I think I will sign off now. I hope you all enjoyed my first post! Stay tuned for future posts where I cover (and conquer) fascinating topics such as living with germans, grocery shopping on a budget, and staying sane.
Song of the Moment: Four Leaf Dream by Matilda Mann
