All’s Well That Ends Well
Authors . Culture . Student life . Travel . UncategorizedBy Maya Lach-Aidelbaum
To be perfectly honest, studying abroad in Munich was not my first choice. Berlin was. I was enamored with the idea of inhabiting the capital of Germany -a chaotic metropole known for its alternative culture, turbulent history and radical politics. However, it turns out that fate (or rather, my university’s international office) had different plans for me.
But, as it turns out, I love Munich. Munich is by far the most beautiful city I have ever lived in. When I first arrived here in September, I could not believe how idyllic the English Gardens were. The vast green expanses, wooded areas and flowing rivers give the impression of a natural paradise isolated from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Munich is also shockingly clean and unchaotic. The public transport system is reliable, the bike paths aplenty and the city center easily accessible.
When I found out a few weeks ago that Forbes recently named Munich the most livable city in the world, I was not surprised.
Coming from Canada where the expanses are gigantic and where it is often very difficult to reach anywhere outside the city without a car, I was surprised at how easy it is to access hiking paths and mountain ranges by train. And at a very low cost too! (Thank you, Bayern Ticket.)
I also happily discovered that Munich is not completely void of alternative or artistic pockets. I was ecstatic to discover the Bahnwärter Thiel, a music venue, club and gathering place that hosts various independent events. The coolest part: it is completely made out of shipping containers and old U-Bahn wagons.
On a very different note, I also discovered that Germany’s drinking culture is very different from mine. Germans drink A LOT of beer. And I had the opportunity to witness Germans’ drinking exploits at their most extreme at Oktoberfest.
I have also been indulging myself by frequenting Munich’s countless cute, hipster and delicious cafes and restaurants.
Most importantly, I have met (so many) beautiful, kind and interesting people and I have had the opportunity to discover the Bayrisch culture as well as countless other cultures from around the world. I have met people from different cultures and with drastically different backgrounds – people I would have most likely never been able to meet in Montreal.
Honestly, that is the main reason I wanted to experience a semester abroad. It is a lesson in cultural openness and discovery. It pushes you out of your comfort zone.
Well, another important reason is also to learn German. My grandparents are German and as a child, I begrudgingly attended German Saturday school classes. My progress, to say the least, was very slow. Close to no one speaks German in Canada and I was not particularly motivated to go to school Saturday mornings. It is only recently that I have really started appreciating how great it is to know German. With renewed motivation now that I am in Germany, I am happy to say my language skills are improving quickly.
Even though I didn’t get to study in Berlin, my first choice, I am more than happy with my Munich experience. As the expression goes, “All’s well that ends well.”
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