Wow! Where to begin? This first week in Bonn has been an absolute whirlwind. I'm not quite sure what expectations I had going in to this, but our first week here has most certainly lived up to them. Our group of 15 couldn't get any better. I love how we all come from different majors and have different career goals and aspirations, but do have common interests and are able to explore Europe together.
On Saturday, we went to the Kolner Lichter in Cologne. It was a blast! We went early in the day and explored the city a little. I went inside the Cologne Cathedral, and it was beautiful. It sort of reminded me of St. Chapelle in Paris. They seemed to have the same basic structure, but the one in Cologne was built on a much grander scale. Then, our whole group met up and watched the fireworks on the Rhein River! We had such a great time. It was interesting to see how the celebration was both similar and different from some of the festivals I've been to in the States.
Then our bike ride, 42 kilometers down and back up the river. It was quite a bit of riding, but I truly enjoyed it. The scenery was beautiful and the weather was enjoyable. Sitting on our blanket taking in the scenery at our picnic pretty much summed up a near perfect day, although the ride back seemed a little further than the first half!
Overall, I have enjoyed my first week in Bonn more than I ever could have imagined. I am getting to know my host family better, and I am starting to learn more about their past and lives here in Germany. Both of my host parents are from east Germany, and came to Bonn after the Berlin Wall fell. Listening to their stories about growing up in east Germany versus west Germany is interesting as well. I'm very excited about the rest of the week here in Bonn, and then going to Interlaken, Switzerland this weekend!
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