-
2 years ago
Hamburg, Deutschland
So its been four weeks of ups and downs here in the north of Germany. I’ve been reluctant to share with everyone until I should find myself settled and content, so here we all are now. It has been tumultuous at times but I’m pleased that things have settled nicely for me here in Hamburg - just one more month to go.
Leaving Freiburg I felt that I was ready for a change and a new challenge, but I have to say that I’ve missed Freiburg greatly since I’ve left. Perhaps it was the glorious summer weather, but beyond that I thought the city had a fantastic mentality about it and from now on I suppose that something I’m just going to have to make for myself. More realistically, I think I felt very comfortable and at home in Freiburg, and the struggles I’ve gone through to settle in well here in Hamburg have made me reminisce about those light-hearted and care-free days in the south. The beer was better there too.
But things have progressed here in Hamburg as the days have turned into weeks and the weeks into nearly a month. So where to begin? We’ll start with Hamburg, which is the second largest city in Germany (after Berlin) with nearly 2 million people. Although it’s a major port city it’s pretty far inland, although it’s on the river Elbe which is pretty big and runs through the heart of the city. There’s also a lake (a big one) downtown, the Alster, and I’ve included a number of pictures of the downtown area so you can get a brief idea of the city.
I live in the suburb of Sasel which, unfortunately, is about 30 minutes outside of the city by train. But I’ll touch on that in a moment. My host family has been very kind and catering to me thus far which I appreciate, although I will say at times that they do speak a little too much English for me considering I’m here to learn some Deutsch - and I could probably be more insistent, but communicating in a foreign language is still tough so I’m weak I suppose. Anyway, everyone is very nice and they have three kids all in high school so it’s a somewhat comfortable fit. The eldest son actually spent a year at a high school in Detroit, Michigan, so we have a few things to connect over - every once in a while I’ll beat him in Madden ‘07 on the PS2 he picked up some years ago in America.
I think it’s been difficult for all of us here to balance my identity as an independent traveler and their instinct to try to treat me as another member of the family. In Freiburg, it definitely leaned hard to the former, and it would be inappropriate of me to fail to recognize that, since it’s been more of the latter here in Hamburg. There’s been some tension for me because of that - I suppose I was spoiled a bit in Freiburg and thrived in my independence - but as in all things I have to adjust and make the most of them. So things have been fine.
Living so far outside of the city has been a little annoying at times. I was a 10 minute walk from the heart of Freiburg so that was a pleasure, but I’m only a 10 minute bike-ride from the train station here in Poppenbuttel. The real source of frustration is that I have to plan and coordinate my days better; whereas in Freiburg I could plan my day after class back at home, here I have to go through that mental process at 7 in the morning before I leave for work.
Work - these days I’ve been working with the Kindergarten at Hamburg’s Jewish community center since they’re short on staff. It’s actually been really great - it scares me to think that I actually like kids and am kind of good with them. The kids I’ve been working with are mostly 4, 5, 6 years old, which is good because we speak about the same amount of Deutsch… OK they might be better.
Equally if not more importantly it’s been absolutely incredible to be involved and accepted in a Jewish community here in Germany. Obviously its a sensitive subject for the country and it translates quite concretely - the community center is surrounded by a large fence and a number of video cameras, there is a police checkpoint with a number of heavily armed officers on duty at all times, and the security to get into the building is quite strict. I don’t have pictures for you now since I’m not sure how they’ll take it if I ask them if I can take and post online pictures of the center, but I’ll ease into it in the coming weeks.
I was invited by the parents of one of the children at the school to Rosh Hashanah dinner at their house. As it turns out for every holiday and most Fridays this Polish Rabbi (yet he lived in New York for a number of years, speaks English, and refuses to learn German) and his family invite any and all Jewish people in the city who have no other place to go for Jewish festivities - aka students. Lots of Eastern Europeans and Israelis. It was an absolutely fantastic experience to be a part of that family and community.
Another almost equally as spiritual a community (but not really) I continue to be a part of here in Hamburg is the Irish Pub scene. Of course I need to watch my English football, and now my American football. And of course like O’Reillys in Freiburg, a lot of Americans tend to gather at Finnegan’s Wake in downtown Hamburg. I haven’t quite met the parallel ‘Moe’ yet, but I suspect I’ll be there often enough to watch my football. So it’s important that I’ve found that outlet yet again.
Anyway I think I’m about running out of steam here on the writing front. It’s worth mentioning that for the first two weeks I struggled in terms of settling in, finding a decent job with which to occupy schedule, and discover a sense of purpose for my time here. But now I feel like I’ve done that - the next four weeks I have here I need to focus on moving beyond the comfortable and truly making the most of this city and this experience.
Notes
Following
