A love letter to Munich

Dear Munich,

It’s time to say goodbye, not farewell though. Munich is, from my point of view, one of the most beautiful cities ever. This Erasmus experience has been an opportunity to meet people from all around the world, engage with them, share joys, experiences, traditions, food, and drinks. Erasmus is undoubtedly an opportunity that fosters integration. There is nothing more beautiful.

I remember when taking the train from Venice, I had 39 grades of fever and i was without expectations, and it turned out one of the best experience ever. Time has literally flown and this semester has come to an end (not yet), I still have one month here to visit and discover new places, hanging out with friends and enjoy the ,,Münchner Freiheit’’! When I return to Italy, I will have brought with me many new sensations, feelings, life lessons, and maturity. I have lived abroad for a long time a few times but in this case was different, I attended a University with a system that works different than mine! Also a well- known university as the “LMU” is. This helps to acquire cross-cutting skills, understand how institutions work in a country that is not our own, and adapt ourselves in many situations. I cherish this period in Munich cause, at this moment of my life, it has been healing my soul. First and foremost I would like to say thank you to my friends, that I have made at the Communication department and the German philology department. Thank you Giada, Julie, Rebecca, Sua and Viktoria for our trips, our laugh, our dinner together, your spontaneity. I will always cherish you girls, you have a special aura around you, which i hope to perceive again. Thank you for being yourselves; just a message in our group was enough to instantly lift the mood and make us feel not alone. Thinking that soon we will have to return to our respective countries brings tears to my eyes, but it brings me hope the fact of seeing these special people again or gathering together somewhere in one of our countries. Marina and Petra, thank you for taking the best out of me, kept being always connected each other, for our jazz nights that we have attended , we have belted it out! And thank you for how we laughed, it cheered me up a lot.

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience; I couldn’t have even imagined it, to be honest. Marina, Petra, Julie, Giada, Rebecca, Sua, Viktoria have all contributed to my happiness in Munich. I thank my parents for coming to visit me at Christmas, without them I would have been alone. I also thank my friends from my childhood for coming to spend New Year’s in Munich. Those were wonderful days, indelibly inked in my heart. Thanks for all of this, especially because in the first few months, I was feeling down due to ending a long-term relationship just before coming to Munich. I will never forget anything. I am grateful. I lacked nothing here; you couldn’t have asked for anything better.

As for the city, it’s magnificent: the big Boulevards, wonderful buildings, museums with important works of art, connections to and from all of Europe, and beautiful nature surrounding Munich.
Englisher Garten is one of my favourite spot in Munich, a place where to contemplate and spend some sunny hours. Thank you Munich for being my home for these months, i love Germany and I wish to find a job here as soon as i graduate from my master degree in Trieste. I would also like to thank our professor Miriam Schnick. Thank you for being always smiley and having always a good word for everyone. I am grateful. Especially during rainy or gloomy days, it helps a lot to participate during class and being at our ease.
Time has flown by, and I can’t imagine that soon I’ll have to return to Italy.
However, one thing is certain: I’ve shared memories, emotions, and moments with beautiful people, and these will be the best things I take with me. Even if I study German at the university, it was a barrier at first to understand Germans perfectly. With time, though, I managed to communicate better and gain more confidence. For this reason, and obviously for those mentioned above, I would like to stay in Munich.

Thank you Munich and to all of you, See you again.

Riccardo