der Löwestadt - the lion city

This weekend, I traveled in Europe for the first time. I went to visit April, who is another American living in Germany for this school year while she is a teacher’s English assistant in German Gymnasium. She is living in Braunschweig, which is one German state away and a much, much larger city then Rheda-Wiedenbrück. I took me three different trains to get there. I didn’t realize that I was going to be switching trains at all until about 5 minutes before I got on my first one, which really made Sandra worried for me, I think. On two of the three trains I had to sit on the floor (once right in front of the WC) but I could still see out of the window which was good enough for me!

The weekend was so great! We rode the bus all over, which was more complicated than  it should have been since the schedule were different every day I was there! We walked around so much and I got to see all of the old buildings (we’re talking 1000 years old, old) including a church tour that I almost kind of understood! On Friday night we went to a game night at a bar with some of her teacher colleagues which was really fun, and we didn’t lose every German game like we predicted we would. 

There was a cool light art exhibit happening near the water in the city, so even though it was rainy the whole weekend, we braved the storm on Saturday to go see some of the really neat art. Afterwords, we went to the first night of Braunschweig’s little Oktoberfest and it was so hilarious. Downside: you had to pay to go to the bathroom and the best was expensive. Upside: everything else! Everyone was singing and banging their glasses and dressing up in costumes for reasons April and I couldn’t really understand. We accepted that we would probably never know the reasoning, and joined in singing remixes of songs like “Hey Baby” and “Take Me Home Country Roads”.

On the way home, my very last train was just cancelled out of the blue while I was standing on the platform. I saw there was another one in an hour so I went to get some Subway downstairs (which has very strange tasting turkey, by the way) and to ask someone what exactly was going on. But literally right as I was ordering my sandwich, a German marching band stomped right into the center of the terminal with their tubas, guitars, accordions, and a snare drum. I couldn’t stop laughing when I was ordering, and the loud German folk music ended up being to my advantage because I don’t think the Subway guy could tell I was American. 

I wove through the band to go ask information what to do about my disappeared train and was informed that the next one was leaving in 3 minutes! I thanked them quickly, made it miraculously around the marching band, and successfully caught the train, ending my first European traveling experience. I can’t wait until Oktoberfest! 

really cool Pop Art building, next to religious art

the Castle in Braunschweig that is now a shopping mall

part of the Light Art Exhibition. so cool!

center of town

at Braunschweig's Oktoberfest!