Maggie’s Journals

August 29, 2025

A Month of Memories and New Beginnings

Hallo! My first month in Germany is already coming to a close, and looking back, I feel so grateful for the warm welcome and all the memories I’ve made in such a short time. It feels like I have been here much longer than a month, and at the same time, the days have flown by so quickly.

After the long twelve-hour journey, I finally arrived in Hamburg, where my host dad and little host brother were waiting for me at the airport with a sign and a balloon. It was such a kind and exciting way to be greeted, and it immediately made me feel more at ease. From there, we drove to Lüneburg, the city where I’ll be living for the next eleven months. My first day was spent simply settling in and getting to know my host family. I played FIFA with my little host brother, who is very determined to convince me that HSV is the best football team in Germany, and then we went out to explore the city with my host brothers and a friend.

On my second day, we went into Hamburg to explore and do a little shopping. I also tried Döner for the first time, which was delicious, and I have already had it four more times since then. Later, I went with my host brother, my host mom, and a friend to see the new Jurassic Park movie. The entire film was in German without subtitles, which was definitely a challenge, but I actually understood more than I expected. Those first few days I spent a lot of time with my little host brother and the neighbors, playing soccer and different German board games, which was both fun and a good way to practice the language.

One of the highlights of my first month was a trip to the island of Fehmarn with my host dad and brother. The island is surrounded by rocky beaches and the icy waters of the Baltic Sea. Even though it was freezing, the views were so beautiful. On the same day, we also celebrated my older host brother’s upcoming departure for Colombia, since he is going on his own exchange year. We spent time with him and his friends, and it was a really special moment to share before he left on such a big adventure of his own.  

In this region of Germany, the purple flowers of the Lüneburger Heide bloom in August and September. To celebrate, the city hosts a lively festival. We walked through fields filled with purple flowers, listened to live music, and ended the evening with an incredible laser and firework show. A few nights later, I sat outside on the balcony with my older host brother and his friends to watch a meteor shower. Sitting under the sky filled with shooting stars is a small but unforgettable memory that I’ll always carry with me. The day before school started, we made another trip to the Baltic Sea, and I was surprised by how much the beaches reminded me of those I go to back at home.

School began two weeks after my arrival, and although I still don’t understand everything that is being discussed in class, I actually find school to be fun. My classmates are very welcoming, and all of my teachers have been incredibly kind and patient with me. Since my school is quite far from my house, I have to take the bus every morning at 6:50. Despite the early start, it has been worth it because I have already made some really good friends. They have made the fear of constantly speaking and hearing another language fade away little by little. Since school ends at 1:15 every day, I usually have the chance to meet friends in the city afterward, which has helped me feel more connected to Lüneburg.

A lot of this month has been spent with my host family, whether we’re hanging out on the couch or sharing dinners on the balcony. They have done so much to make me feel comfortable, and I’m starting to truly feel at home here. I cooked my favorite pasta for them, and I also baked blueberry muffins and cheese biscuits. They were really excited about all the American treats I brought, and we’ve already gone through a whole bottle of Chick-fil-A sauce. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things, like a competitive game of UNO or a walk through the city with my new family.

German itself has been difficult, and some days are harder than others. I can usually understand the general idea of conversations, but when people speak quickly or use slang, I still feel lost. Speaking is even more challenging because I often know the words in my head but hesitate to actually say them. I am currently working on building the confidence to speak more with fluent speakers, even if I make mistakes. My host family and friends at school have been very supportive, and I can already feel small improvements compared to when I first arrived. I know it will take time, but I’m starting to believe that every conversation I try is helping me move forward.

In my third week, I attended my first Rotary meeting, where I met all the other exchange students in the area and learned more about the program. It was incredible to meet people from so many different parts of the world and hear their stories. One of the other exchange students is even in my class at school, which has been a nice surprise.

Just last weekend, we traveled to Mönchengladbach (say that ten times fast!) for a big family celebration for my host dad’s birthday. I spent hours playing football with my little host brother, and I also had the chance to meet another Rotary Youth Exchange student from Mexico. After the party, we drove to Köln to see the famous Köln Cathedral. Standing in front of it, I was amazed by the size and detail of the building. It made me realize how lucky I am to be able to experience life in another country.

Along with all these exciting experiences, I have also noticed some differences and cultural shocks compared to life back home. A few that stand out so far are:

• People bike everywhere, even when it rains, and the bike lanes are just as full as the streets.  

• Almost everything is closed on Sundays. Back home, I’m used to going shopping or running errands whenever I feel like it, so it was weird at first to have a whole day where nothing is open. Now I kind of like it, though, because it makes Sundays feel more relaxed.   

• Dinner here is usually small, like bread with cheese or meats, while lunch is the big meal of the day. It felt strange at first, but I’m actually getting used to it.  

• Recycling is way more intense than at home. There are different bins for everything, and bottles get returned to the store. In the beginning I was scared of putting something in the wrong bin, but now I’m starting to get the hang of it.  

• Everything just feels smaller than in the U.S. The cars, the roads, the grocery stores, and even the washing machines. It’s not bad, just different, and it makes me realize how oversized everything is back home.  

• Public transportation is such a normal part of life. People of all ages use buses and trains every day, and it feels strange to imagine going everywhere by car like we do back home.

Overall, this first month has been full of new experiences, challenges, and so many good memories. I cannot wait to see what the next months will bring.