The number of COVID-19 (more commonly known as coronavirus) cases in Germany is growing. The curve is on the upswing, and it’s getting steeper. The situation is changing quickly, and in just a few days, coronavirus has gone from a bit of a running joke (at least in my office) to a serious fear. Continue reading “The Quarantine Diaries: Day 1”
Category: Life Abroad
No longer traveling, no longer studying – my experiences on living abroad
A weekend in Aarhus, a pride parade, and some thoughts on impermanence
It’s been four years since I lived in Aarhus. In June of 2014, I packed up my dorm room, tied my suitcase to my bike, and started the next chapter of my life in Hamburg. Since then I’ve only been back twice, primarily to visit the few remaining friends I have in Denmark, but also to take a trip down memory lane.
Sandwiched between a canceled train journey and a grueling 7-hour bus ride, I spent just over 24 hours in Aarhus last weekend. It was Pride Weekend, and my Danish friends who have since moved away from Aarhus were back in town to see the parade. I jumped at the opportunity to see them again in one place and booked a train north.
Continue reading “A weekend in Aarhus, a pride parade, and some thoughts on impermanence”
The Legal Guarian of a Patch of Dirt
Today I did what is possibly the most German thing ever: I applied to be the legal guardian of a patch of dirt.
The word is Gartenpaten, which roughly translates to “garden godparent.” It means someone in a neighborhood who has agreed to look after a “garden” – or in this case, a small patch of dirt around a street tree in the middle of a sidewalk. Continue reading “The Legal Guarian of a Patch of Dirt”
A West Coast girl’s first East Coast bagel
The last time I was in Berlin, a friend from Connecticut took me to a proper New York style bagel place. My life was changed.
Continue reading “A West Coast girl’s first East Coast bagel”
Hamburg: First Impressions
I moved to Hamburg about a month ago now. I’m no expert and I shy to call myself a true Hamburger, but the city’s made a strong impression on me so far. Here are some of my thoughts.
Hamburg is a city of extremes.
The vegans are militant and the feminists are intense. On the far right end of the political spectrum, neo-Nazis beat up people on the streets and spew anti-immigrant rhetoric in the political offices. On the left, self-proclaimed antifascists turn abandoned buildings into refugee camps and community gathering spaces and glue anti-Nazi stickers in the subway stations. Even the weather is extreme – after a cool and drizzly June, this weekend hit 36 C (97 F).
Continue reading “Hamburg: First Impressions”
Following the Wanderlust 