Living Abroad (Germany): Hallo

I have officially fallen into the pages of a real-life fairytale. Maybe I am in Harry Potter’s wondrous town of Hogsmeade, am surrounded by the lush forest of Snow White’s tale, and am currently living in Rapunzel’s tower. Perhaps I’m Hansel’s Grettel (with the amount of fresh baked goods we have been consuming, I would be surprised if we weren’t leaving trails of breadcrumbs). Whatever spectacular world I might be in, I am certain that my choice to study in Heidelberg, Germany was the best decision I’ve ever made.

Right now I’m perched at my favorite window, peering down upon the little town that is starting to feel like home. This dream-come-true began about a week ago.

On September 6^th, after climbing millions and millions of stony steps with our 50-pound suitcases, our group entered Pepperdine’s Moore Haus for the first time. We awestruck students soon discovered that Moore Haus is actually a mansion with private gates, epic views, and a stunning façade. After devouring some Subway sandwiches (so we didn’t feel too far from home), we explored the 100-year old building that we would be nesting in for the next two semesters. Because of the comfort of the home, we are adjusting quickly. As the days progress, we are all discovering countless nooks, crannies, and crevices in the house, and are each finding our own comfortable study-spots. The majority of the group has memorized where to find the Nutella, but many can’t seem to remember the house gate’s password. That’s right; we have our priorities straight.

After debating for a good hour about what to wear to fit in with the Heidelberg locals, we all eventually made it down the hill and into town to explore. We spent our first nights ducking in and out of the best restaurants, dance-clubs, and gelato-shops. The striking architecture and bustling crowds on the romantic-style streets are invigorating. Heidelberg’s originality draws us back into town every night. There seems to be something about the sound of our boots clicking on the cobblestone roads that makes us want to keep on exploring. After acting composed and collected while strolling the Hauptstraße, we acted like the naïve and ridiculous Americans that we are on the dance-floors. Our brains attempted to move our jet-lagged bodies, and the Germans were thoroughly entertained.

After once particular night of merriment, a few of us decided to walk up the Heidelberg Castle (yes, in our program you can just “hang out” at castles). As we all sprawled out on the chilly stone of the balcony, we counted stars and revealed suppressed emotions about living abroad. We acknowledged that we were all in the same situation, and were so incredibly lucky to have each other. I then wandered into a tower that looked as though it was constructed for a princess, and began scanning the horizon of the twinkling town below. There I stood, in a European castle in the dark hours of the morning, overwhelmed and speechless.

The rest of our days have consisted of hiking to intriguing and hidden spots like Hitler’s amphitheatre, and absorbing the sunlight on the top deck of a boat on the Neckar River. On a regular basis, we congregate at Essighaus Restaurant to try authentic German Meals like Sausage, Schnitzel, Pommes Frites. The combination of familiar faces and foreign food makes the evenings special.

Tonight we are headed to a German festival in Manheim, so I have to get to the train station. I can’t wait to keep you all updated on our many escapades, and hope that you keep reading to come on my adventures with me. For now, Auf wiedersehen!