My one-way ticket

I’d say I’m well known for my planning. For trips I generally like to be well packed, prepared, with map and schedule in hand. It’s probably because my parents and step-parents are even more anal about it. To give you an idea, I’m pretty sure they think Im no pro-active enough! I have some friends, who will remain nameless (though you know who you are!) whose lack of planning annoys the hello outta me. They just get up and go. No plan and definitely no map. These individuals will therefore take delight n my adventures this weekend. It was my first trip out of Italy and first trip in my life entire alone. In my mind I had anticipated this structured trip – I even went to a travel agent. However, it all went out the window and the next thing I knew I had in my hand a one-way ticket to some random small town in the south Germany. From there the plan relied on the decency of people, a good pair of shoes, the favor of the time gods, and my German-language speaking skills (which can be summed up in less than 8 miserably pronounced words). No exaggeration. Having not been able to buy a ticket to the correct no-name town in Germany to visit my friend Nadia, I instead bought another ticket to another town and planned to buy a ticket to the correct town upon my arrival…or on the train – as I had 6 minutes to run to the next train. Once there I figured Nadia’s German would be good enough to get me back to Padova – or I was willing to settle for anywhere in Italy. The other gamble was the neither Nadia or I were 100% certain that one could purchase a ticket on the train (think NYC style). On some you can, some you can’t. In my case it was either going to be fine – or illegal. I was worried about how all of this would work out, but once having spent 6.5 hours on the train I was no longer concerned.

As it turns out things ran fairly smoothly and ironically. For example, on the first train ride to Germany was seated with three grandmas. (When they found out I was American they were very impressed with my Italian skills) One ended up being very concerned that our train was late and that I might never make it to my destination. She got off in Zurich and as fate would have it, I boarded a train in Shaffhausen to find her sitting right there. Apparently the train I boarded I could’ve picked up at the earlier station. She was delighted to see me and because she spoke German and Italian, she spoke with the German conductor and helped me buy the rest of my ticket to Nadia’s and helped me get off at the right stop. In addition, she asked for my address at school so that she could write to me, then she gave me her address and phone number and offered to give me a place to stay should I find myself in the black forest again. I may take her up on that! So now I have Italian grandmother who lives in Germany.

Germany is so different from Italy. It is its own country. The train ride though Germany (and Switzerland) was soooo beautiful. Little towns are built right alongside the Alps and there are these fantastic waterfalls and lakes. Also the second I arrived in Germany, everyone began to look German. I mean everyone was blonde and everyone was really tall. Ive never really been able to picture what people mean when they claim to be from foreign heritage. Like, when someone says they are French or German or Spanish. Im beginning to see it now. (Like Courtney, I was seated across from a guy that could have been your brother! You both look so German!) Oh and some sketchy old German man taught me some German – well just how to say kiss (this is obviously why he was sketchy as he was hitting on me)… anyway the word is cous (at least that’s how I believe you pronounce it)!

Anyway, Nadia was an amazing hostess. She has a Fulbright right now in this small town, but three years ago, she studied in a slightly bigger city called Freiberg. (Interestingly enough, Greg also studied there and Wess is studying there this semester.) So we went to Freiberg on Saturday. Nadia introduced me to everything German. From beer, to beer gardens, to roasted chestnuts, to sausage, to some form of Turkish-German junk food that I cant remember the name! Nadia was so happy to be back. She literally spent the whole time beaming. I really liked having this personal introduction to a city. I hate being a tourist and so I enjoyed going to a less-well-known city where I have a personal connection that I would have enjoyed going to Munich or Berlin and seeing the same ten sites that every tourist has to see. I liked Germany a lot more than I thought I would. If Nadia hadn’t been there, I probably would never have thought to visit. But Freiberg rivals my top visited city thus far. Getting there was another story for the books. They canceled our connecting train while we were on the first train and we had to wait outside in the rain for a bus. The wind and rain was so strong that it broke my Samsonite umbrella. (Im pissed about this by the way and Im writing a complaint…they better send me a new umbrella gratis!) It was soo gross in Nadia’s town, but it didn’t really rain in Freiberg. Nadia tells me that it is considered the sunniest city in Germany and Im thankful that it lived up to its name. Definitely check out my facebook photos (and if you don’t have facebook message me and I’ll email the album to you) cause they are really fantastic.