Here's your Key...
I am awful at transportation, but after sprinting though the Frankfurt airport after my flight was late, getting on a random tram that I hoped would take me to the right place, to find the bus two minutes after its departure time when it was still there with one empty seat, then getting the most vague directions to Bismarck Platz but finding it and getting on the correct bus to your destination; I sometimes wonder if my life is the Truman Show. So I made it, and I did it all in German. And when the guy at the program trefpunkt said "here's your key", I was off to find my own place in die Altstadt. Welcome to Germany.
So here I am two days later, Jet-lagged, hungry, and without toilet paper. When they tell you nothing is open on sundays... believe them, believe me.
Nothing is open on Sundays.
My biggest stressor so far was by far finding my bike. I walked a good hour to this random place that was listed on the sheet to buy used bikes. Well they didn't have any. So I snuck on the bus back because I'm still not really sure how to buy a ticket, and I went to another place. I was so drained from walking and frustrated about how much time I had wasted that when he told me the cheapest one was 250... i took it. Because there was no way I was walking home. And sure, a few weeks from now when I come across a cheap place I'll be mad, but hey, it only took me 10 minutes to bike to Aldi, and I have food now. So I'm not complaining yet.
There are so many things I love about Heidelberg so far--Including being able to talk in German all day--but you will see those things for yourself when you come. It still feels like this place th
at I'm in isn't real. But if I have one last advice for your first few days here: everyone will tell you to not nap when you get here, well guess what, I napped. --don't. nap.--
