BLOG: LÜBECK DAY ONE Quick shameless plug: I've been keeping up a personal blog of my own experiences. I try to update it when I can, and if you'd like to see my take on the experiences of the trip, feel free to read: ksgermany.wordpress.com
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So, this Nachtzug
The first thing you must understand is that it is claustrophobic. "Small" or "cramped" or even the real-estate favorite, "cozy", doesn't feel adequate. Unless if you could figure out how to shift up one of the middle bunks, there was no way to sit up straight on a bunk. Facilities are airplane-style and small, luggage is stuffed under bottom bunks and on a ledge next to the top bunks. As Mr. Lyon aptly put it, people were either in the slept-very-well camp or the did-not-sleep camp. Personally I was somewhere in the middle, since I meddled around until about 1:00 or more in the morning.
We got off the night train at about 9:00 in the morning, where we got breakfast at the train station.
Then we headed to train number 2 to Lübeck. We had a nice pile of suitcases on the luggage rack. It was a smooth train ride, and we made it to the hotel. We had to wait a while to check in, as many of the rooms weren't yet ready. Frau let us loose on the town, and a group of us went to get some gorgeous döner sandwiches.
We walked back to the hotel, where we freshened up before heading out to a boat ride to a festival in a small northern time. We played some games to pass the time and Sarah and I ordered water in a fancy bottle that was quite overpriced but provided at least some hydration.
We roamed around the festival for a couple hours, where a group of us got some bratwurst and crêpes and walked around the town before meeting up to take the train back to the hotel and go to sleep.
We're still adjusting to life "on our own", without our exchange families. Sometimes we'll think we catch a glimpse of Maxi in a crowd, or see Laura B. sitting somewhere at w table. I know for me, there is a sort of hole in my life at the moment, and I do miss both my families. But everyone has been lovely and upbeat, and the enthusiasm for the week to come has not left me without a great deal of excitement.
We heard about the shooting in Munich--as reports are coming out our hearts go out to the victims and their families. We are all safe and sound; as Frau has told us, the distance between us in the north of Germany and Munich in the southeast is like that of us and Tennessee. She's reminded us of our plan Bs and impressed upon us the importance of staying together and keeping track of each other. As always, the academites have and will watch out for each other on this trip.
Heather has finally stopped singing Hamilton to me as I write this post right now (we're rooming together), which means that I might now actually get the chance to sleep.
Bis Morgen, alle :)
-Katia
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