I spent a significant portion of May focusing on traveling in Germany and exploring T\u00fcbingen. It\u2019s nice to know that even though I\u2019ve been here for a few months, there\u2019s still lots to discover and check off my list. I still haven\u2019t made it to the Freibad or been on a Stocherkahn so those are goals for the next couple weeks! Study abroad isn\u2019t all big dramatic RyanAir flights, which is actually very nice.<\/p>\n
A group of friends and I went to Heidelberg for an overnight, which included taking a boat cruise, climbing up to the Philosophenweg and checking out the castle. We had wonderful weather the whole time and it was a not too stressful trip, only a FlixBus ride away. Shorter trips are better when you\u2019re with a large group of people (the decisions and opinions just multiply!!) This time, our hostel was part of the Deutsches Jugendherbergswerk network\/chain, which means that you have to purchase a membership card for a small fee when you first stay with them, but the rooms are great and the free breakfast is amazing and extensive.<\/p>\n
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[Although I mainly use this blog to describe my own, lighthearted personal experiences, it\u2019s irresponsible to not note their historical and cultural context. While I was looking up the name of the DJH just now for this post, I learned (unsurprisingly) of its merger with Hitler Youth in 1933. The seeming benignness of a hosteling association\/outdoors group functions as a reminder of how fascism and anti-Semitism can take root in \u201cordinary\u201d institutions.]<\/p>\n
The next weekend, we went to Fr\u00fchlingsfest in Stuttgart. Through purchasing the tickets as a group at the Hbf, our round trip cost 15 euros. The similarities between Fr\u00fchlingsfest and American state fairs\/carnivals were pretty apparent, with vendors hawking fried food and somewhat suspicious looking rides. I had Krauterwurst, a type of fried dough with Nutella and went on an 80m meter high chair swing ride. The only striking difference was the prevalence of alcohol, which probably wouldn\u2019t fly in the US! Before I got to Germany I\u2019d seen pictures of other study abroad students wearing dirndls and drinking liters of beer, which to be perfectly honest, I thought was clich\u00e9 and Tired. However, I think because we were in Stuttgart (not M\u00fcnchen or similar) and it was Fr\u00fchlingsfest (not Oktoberfest), it was a little different and certainly mainly populated by German tourists, rather than Americans. Because we also did our tent & mass of beer experience before evening, it was less hectic and stereotypical.<\/p>\n
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I also used the beginning of May to brainstorm everything else I want to do while I\u2019m here. I\u2019m back in contact with my old exchange partner, a friend from home came to visit over spring break and I\u2019m hoping to see a friend that goes to school in England.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I spent a significant portion of May focusing on traveling in Germany and exploring T\u00fcbingen. It\u2019s nice to know that even though I\u2019ve been here for a few months, there\u2019s still lots to discover and check off my list. I still haven\u2019t made it to the Freibad or been on a Stocherkahn so those are … <\/p>\n