Germany is not traditionally known as a Spring Break destination for college students. Most choose to spend their days off in warmer climates, lounging on the beach, soaking up the sun and enjoying a cold, refreshing beverage. But my friend Tatiana and I wanted to explore this land of forests, rivers and mountain ranges where, as luck would have it, Tatiana has family. As far as we were concerned, Germany was the place to be. I envisioned immersing myself in the whole German experience, buying lederhosen, sampling the country’s famous bratwurst and listening to a Bavarian “Oom-pah” band.
After an amazing stop in Brussels, we finally arrived in Germany. The first thing I noticed about the country was its distinct architecture. Some of the neighborhoods we visited were old-fashioned, with buildings constructed close to one another along narrow streets. Other areas were more bucolic, with acres of land surrounding each home. It was quiet enough that I found myself noticing the chirps of the crickets and the hoots of the owls, very unlike my childhood in New York City. That changed once we arrived at Ramstein Air Base, where a member of Tatiana’s family works. Then Germany began to seem more like home, with familiar retail and fast food stores and streets named for the 50 U.S. states. A highlight of our time on the base was chaperoning an event at the high school Tatiana’s cousin attends. Being around the students reminded both of us of how much we have grown and changed over the past four years.
I have to credit Tatiana's lovely aunt for helping us to make the most of this experience. She pushed us to get up early to explore the country to which, being college students, we would sometimes respond: How early? Thanks to her encouragement we were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of towns like Bern Kaustel Kues, Trier, Kaiserslautern and Heidelberg. In fact, it was while we were in Heidelberg Castle, with its sweeping views and vistas, that I had a real “I’m the king of the world” a la the famous scene in Titanic. We spent hours looking around, taking pictures and learning the histories of places that were gradually becoming more familiar to us. There was one moment of comic relief when Tatiana’s family brought us to a wildlife park, which reminded me of a rather traumatic childhood experience during which I was chased by a goat. Overall all our days in Germany provided me with great memories. I was sorry when the time came to say auf wiedersehen, and I hope to go back one day.
Hasina Foye ’23 is an aspiring journalist from Bronx, N.Y., who is studying English literature and communications at Le Moyne. Hasina is spending the spring semester of 2022 at Hague University in the Netherlands and will be sharing her reflections on life abroad. Please continue to follow her journey here.