Well, I made it through the first week. I'm now officially and completely registered for all my classes, and am almost fully adjusted to the new time zone. I'm learning the bus schedules, and am getting a pretty good sense for the city layout, at least in the parts I visit most.
Lüneburg is a city of around 72,000 people, located in central northern Germany, just south of Hamburg. It actually feels like a collection of several different towns, because each district was built at a different time, so the buildings, streets, etc. have a different look. Each district has its own distinct feel. For example, I feel like where I live (in the north, in an older part of town) is in a different city entirely than campus (farther south). The older districts are tourist attractions even within Germany, and I've seen a number of tour groups walking around with their guides. Lüneburg also offers a narrated ride in a horse-drawn wagon around the city. For those with the time and money, there are lots of stores for shopping. I'm learning what restaurant and bakeries are available, and am trying to avoid eating the same things from the same places until I've experiences almost all of what my part of Lüneburg has to offer.
As I mentioned earlier in this blog, Leuphana Universität Lüneburg used to be a military base, which why is most of the buildings look the same. The campus is really quiet right now, because the German school system is still on the break between the summer and winter semesters. By the end of October when classes are in full swing, I'm sure it will be a different place.
Large murals, like this one on outside the lecture halls (Hörsälle), are all over campus. They were a part of a region-wide arts project some years ago, and were recently almost painted over. The vast majority of Leuphana students and visitors alike are glad they remain.
Most of my semester will be spent working on classwork. I'm enrolled in Track II language classes, as well as German Conversation and Intro to German Literature. There are four language tracks, progressing from Track I (which requires no previous German studies) to Track 4 (which requires near-fluency).
Track II is taught in German and English, and will help strengthen my grammatical foundation while building my vocabulary and speaking skills. German Conversation, also taught in German, covers specific situations (in the Post Office, at the Train Station, in the classroom, etc.) and important relevant vocabulary. The class is based on group activities, and naturally lots of verbal interaction. Intro to German Literature will be my hardest class. We will be learning about and discussing literature (types, themes, historical periods, literary devices, etc.) speaking exclusively German. All of the classes only have a few students, and everyone is sincerely willing to help each other learn (which is especially great for me in Literature, because I have the weakest command of German in the room).
I ventured today to the laundromat. The closest one is about a 2- or 3-minute walk down the street. Laundry is really expensive here! It cost me almost 15 € to wash and dry two loads! Also, I tried doing homework while I kept and eye on my clothes, but the laundromat really isn't conducive to studying. In the end, my things were clean, and that's what matters.
I think I could get used to living here!
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