How Did You Spend This Day Last Year?

Last year in Hamburg, I didn't blog as consistently as I had hoped too. As a result, I still have many experiences to share. To inaugurate this series of recounted stories, I wanted to talk about my first Sunday in Deutschland.

After sleeping in till 10:00, I got up for breakfast. We had bread, fruit, cucumbers, tomatoes, and all sorts of vegan spreads or Aufstrich. Then, I finished unpacking. Next, I biked with my host mom to the train station to purchase my public transport card. After finding the booth closed, we walked around Altona and ordered Currywurst (a German sausage covered in spicy curry ketchup and sprinkled with yellow curry powder) and Pommes (french fries) at a vegan food truck called Vincent vegan.

Later, I walked on the beach with my family. I saw an old cigarette machine that had been repurposed to dispense art. Sadly, it was sold out of the vegan keychain I wanted (my host sister was kind enough to call the artist and order it for me after months of my attempts to arrive after restocking but before it sold out once again). Finally, I had spaghetti and salad before getting ready for bed.

Although this might not sound all that exciting at first, I fondly remember this day. I think it is a thorough example of the most unique part of exchange: living the daily life of another culture, exploring a new area of the world, and most importantly, becoming part of a new family.

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The photo is of the view along the Elbe, a few blocks from where I lived.