October 20, 2013, by Guest blog

Have not yet scratched the surface

As I emerged from Nuremberg airport I felt a mixture of emotions. I was ecstatically happy that the year I had planned since the writing those dreaded personal statements had started, I was excited as I would be spending a whole year in one of my favourite countries in the world, working in a top company and living in the beautiful Bavarian region. I was also completely overwhelmed, hauling my life in the form of three gigantic suitcases, not really knowing where I was meant to be going, and was already irritating the ‘immer punktlich’ Germans by blocking the exit to the airport.

I have already made the stereotype that Germans are always punctual. I had been prepped about other stereotypical views that would be awaiting me in Germany such as the general directness and bluntness which can sometimes be interpreted as plain rudeness. However, having spent over two months here, I have realised that aside from the odd, infuriated, no-nonsense cashier at Lidl, everyone is extremely friendly and helpful. That can be demonstrated in the form of my colleagues frantically emailing me to warn of the severe weather warnings in the Zugspitze region as I had previously mentioned that I was planning a weekend trip there, or in the way in which complete strangers physically showed me the way to somewhere I couldn’t find on a map. Additionally, in coming to Franconia I have encountered many situations with locals where the regional dialect has proved to be too strong and I end up completely misunderstanding or just smiling at everything. In these circumstances, everyone is very patient and understanding which is obviously comforting but also assists the learning process.

As for my first impressions of the location itself, I could not be luckier. Being close to both Nuremberg and Munich there is always something to do and the wealth of historical and cultural artefacts in both cities is amazing. I took on all the museums in Nuremberg during my first few weekends here but feel that I have not yet even scratched the surface. Likewise, further afield I have the beauty of the Bavarian and Franconian landscapes just a short train journey away. Ranging from King Ludwig II’s castles and his infamous Neuschwanstein to Germany’s highest mountain, Zugspitze, this region really has it all.  Unfortunately, being a pathetic skier I might not be able to take advantage of what the region has to offer in the winter, but nevertheless I feel extremely happy and fortunate that my first few months have gone so far.

 

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