Germany: Five Realizations, Five Weeks In

It's hard to believe that I've been living in Cologne for five weeks. I know everyone always says time flies. BUT SERIOUSLY. Why do days get shorter the older you get?!

Of course, some days felt like an eternity (you DID NOT want to be around when there was no internet) but overall it's been relatively smooth. Or I've had an aneurysm and forgotten all the truly horrible experiences.

I kid! I kid. Or maybe not. Hey, I wouldn't know, right?

Living in the US my entire life, it's hard not to compare these last few weeks to what I've always known. So here are some realizations I've had these past few weeks.

ONE: EVERYTHING TASTES A LITTLE DIFFERENT - GET OVER IT

The first two weeks I was here, I searched for anything and everything that reminded me of home. I wanted these snippets of flavors to tell me I didn't leave the US behind completely. But when I would eat breakfast or dinner I was constantly left disappointed.

And it was frustrating.

Then I drew a line in the sand. I cooked my favorite recipes. I gave them a chance without immediately writing them off because they tasted different. I embraced these new flavors and the food turned out pretty good!

At restaurants I ordered meals I would never dream about choosing. Most restaurants in Innenstadt (or the city central) have English/German menus. But for those that didn't, I used my limited knowledge of German to figure out what was on the menu. I joked with my boss that I knew enough German to order something I was familiar with, but not enough to discredit a meal entirely. 

TWO: MAKE TIME TO BE ACTIVE

If, after five weeks, I've learned nothing else, exercising and being active helps ground you. Running through my neighborhood makes me so so happy. I get to see my beautiful neighborhood and all those endorphins make me feel great.

With a little over a million people in 156 square miles, walking all around Cologne has made it just a little bit smaller. Most weekends I clock in with 15-20 miles and it's fantastic! Not only do I feel accomplished after clocking so many but I love the sights and sounds. I also love that I've never felt unsafe.

There's always something going on in Cologne and whether I'm running or walking around I always catch something.

THREE: EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN TIME - IT JUST TAKES TIME

In the US, everyone rushes and everything is available at the click of a button. Here, things run on their own timeline.

The first time I used my washing machine, I woke up form a nap to huge splashes coming form the machine. It turns out that a tube coming from the back of the machine disconnected and the water from the inside of the machine was now on the inside of my bathroom. At 7:00pm I had no one I could call.

The only thing I could do was soak up all the water (which was conveniently located behind and under the machine) the best I could. Did I mention the machine is located in a space six inches wider than it? That was fun. And let's just say those machines are built to last (read: heavy as shit).

By the next day, I sent out emails and was reassured it would be fixed by the following morning. And as promised, by the time I got home the next day, the woman who owned the apartment had brought in a repairman, watched him work, and then locked the apartment back up.



FOUR: MAKE A ROUTINE BUT BE FLEXIBLE

I know that some people fly by the seat of their pants. I am NOT one of those people. I live and die by a routine.

For the first four weeks here, I was alone so creating my routine was really easy. I didn't have to consult anyone, I just did whatever felt right. My weekdays looked something like:

06:30     Wake up and catch up on instagram
06:45     Get ready
07:00     Eat breakfast/Make lunch
07:15     Leave for work
07:40     Start work
17:00     Leave for home
17:30     Go for a run or go to the store
18:30     Start dinner
19:30     Eat dinner (seriously, I hate electric)
19:50     Wash the dishes
20:00     Take a bath and get ready for bed

Added in there when possible was talking with Ryan, watching documentaries, and passing the time as quickly as possible.

Weekends were a little more liberal. I ran and explored on one day and then did laundry and household stuff on the other.

This first week with Ryan here has been challenging. Those first few days were actually really hard because he completely upset my well planned out routine. Ass. Buttttt, now we've settled into something that works for both of us. Let's just say he's pretty lucky.

FIVE: EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT - TRUST ME

When moving to another country you undoubtedly feel overwhelmed. You want to cling to anything and everything of what you left behind. But after those initials days (or weeks) you want to just be another one of the locals.

And when in Rome...

No matter how daunting moving might be, it's bound to be fun and exciting. It will be the best experience of your life. There's always ups and downs, you just have to embrace it all on the ride. Eventually you forget the bad (or laugh about it later) and those good times will be cherished forever.

I can't wait to keep making these memories.