So there we were....a group of American students fresh as a daisy (ha!!) from a 5 hour train ride anxiously awaiting for our German host students to arrive at the itty bitty Coburg train station. These students would be providing us with a home in their flats for the next five nights, and we had never once spoken to any of them. To say that I was anxious would be an understatement, but a little part of me was super excited to start the next phase of our trip and learning experience. When the students arrived, it was reminiscient of the sixth grade dance,except instead of boys and girls on opposite sides staring at one another it was Americans and Germans.
Finally, a few of us on either side, myself included, ended the staredown and stepped forward to begin the introductions. We paired up, and myself and Caren went off with Ana. She quickly was titled "our German mom" for both her patient willingness to translate everything (and I mean everything) and the amazing breakfasts and capuccino that would be ready for us when we woke up. She showed us to her flat, in the central part of town overlooking the marketplatz. Even though it was on the third floor, the walk was bearable every time because we got to smell fresh coffee being stored for the coffeehouse on the first floor. After dropping off our bags, we headed out. After all, it was sunny and 70's in Coburg - a welcome change from cold and wet Munich. I'm more than positive that the weather had a direct relationship with increase in happiness among our group as a whole.
We enjoyed some new beers at the pub and chatting with Ana, asking her all kinds of questions. What American tv shows do you like? (Lost until it got boring, Boston Legal, Modern Family) What kind of music do you like? (Caren asked about Miley Cyrus and Ana replied "Hannah Montana - oh the things that are universal) What books do you like? (Twilight! Hurray!!!!) What do you want to do with your social work degree? (work with kids, which she already does at her internship). From here the conversation just flowed, and any apprehension fell by the wayside.
We met up for a group dinner, where we met more German students. One who became somewhat of a fixture was Ulrich, aka Ulley. I say he was a fixture because his abrubt way of speaking and overall slight awkwardness in almost everything he did coupled with boyish charm and a penchant for wearing 2 plaid patterns together resulted in Caren referring to him as "akward turtle". After awhile even he took to using the term, which sounded een funnier from his mouth.
After we had a not so great dinner that we barely noticed because we were enamored with our new German friends, it was time to head out and about in Coburg! It was then we realized we were in a typical small college town, with a few small bars and beergardens that were mostly empty since that day was a bank holiday. Instead, we (me, Caryn, Ana, her flatmate Constantine, Meghan and her hostess also named Ana) went to a hookah bar. We laughed and enjoyed mango hooka. As we headed home to bed (actually Ana's bed she so graciously gave us while she slept in her other flatmates room), we declared that Coburg was way better than Munich, not only because it was sunny but because the company we had would finally provide the cultural immersion we, or at least I, so intensely desired.
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