What are the first two things that you think of when you think about Germany?
Beer and Wurst.
What are the first two places that you think of when you think about Germany?
Berlin and München.
That's what I thought a year ago, at least. Whenever I spoke to someone about my impending study abroad, they constantly joked with me about becoming a lush. I mean, German beer is pretty popular. {And it was so good!} Wurst was also something that a lot of people spoke to me about. And I can admit that to this day, I miss it. There was so much variety, and mhmm, the U.S. has nothing like it. As far as location goes, Berlin and Munich (properly named München) are the two places that most people will know about Germany. Berlin is the capital, and Munich has the largest Oktoberfest. But that's not all of Germany. There is so much more to this gorgeous country. It's not all beer and wurst and large cities. Some of my favorite places were the tiny towns and villages that I lived in or visited.
1. Amberg
This was the very first place that I lived in Germany. It was a tiny town (so tiny that it does not even show up on the map!), but it is full of many treasures. There is a great Döner store, farms, and it is not too far from the next town. Granted, no place in Germany is. One of my favorite things about this place is the nature. My host-sister and I went out my last night there and took a lot of pictures at night, and that still remains in my memory today. Amberg's residents are also extremely nice. I would say that Bavarian hospitality is similar to Southern hospitality.
2. Schwabmünchen
I attended my Orientation and Language Course in this town. All of my OLC (OSK, in German) friends lived here. I have a lot of great memories in this place, may it be getting lost during a scavenger hunt, eating my first Döner Kebab {hands down the best}, re-learning how to ride a bike, partying with my friends, or star-gazing with my friend during a camp-out. Eiscafe Venezia Schwabmünchen is the best ice-cream! Try the Spaghetti Eis. Delicious.
3. Zehdenick
This is where I stayed for the rest of my exchange. I re-found my love for photography here. The nature is absolutely to die for because of all the water and forests. I ate a lot of Döners here, and they have a good ice-cream shop that you can visit as well. This town is a bit larger than the former, I'd say, but it's still cozy enough that everyone pretty much knows one another.
