A Chance to See Beyond Oneself

The Story

After having my eurail pass stolen while I was on my way to Denmark, everything was changed. I planned to use that pass to travel all over scandanvia and then back down to central europe but alas, it would not be so. I was kicked off the train in a small town in the north of Germany near the larger city of Hamburg. I decided to make my way to Hamburg and check in to a hostel there to mentally sort things out. I was expecting to spend a little time site seeing and trying to make some sort of plan for the rest of my time in Europe. But as soon as I checked in I met an Australia girl who was on the last few days of her trip throughout Europe. She too was also a little low in morale, tired from her long trip, and ready to return to normal life in Australia - we agreed it was a mutual comfort to be with each other in our current dispositions. We spent two days going for walks throughout the city, taking long coffee breaks in cafes, eating lots of bratwurst and pasteries, and our highlight of going to see a show at the newly built planetarium (a little hard to follow at times as it was all in German). As I didnt know where I was going next, I decided to join her on her way to Lubeck where she would be flying out of the next day. It was a quaint little town with a few historical buildings; my highlight was hanging out with a california guy who was playing at an open mic in an Irish bar that I was able to accompany on percussion. I still had not had any time to myself to think my travel plans over but Bel, my Australia friend, helped convinced me I should just leave for Berlin the same time she leaves for her plane, which turned out to be a great idea!

My time in Berlin was fantastic. I felt so at home there, mostly from the experiences I had with people I knew there. I stayed with a couchsurfer I contacted at last minute who was so friendly, welcoming, and quite interesting - we could certainly relate on many topics. My first day there my couchsurfing host and I enjoyed a long afternoon picnic, some enjoyable dinner conversation with her boyfriend and housemate, a house party hosted by another couchsurfer who was a really fun guy, and then some late night life. The next day, after some morning valley ball with my couchsurfing host, I met up with a girl I had met in Australia and planned to see again in Berlin. We had a rather pleasant day walking all over Berlin and then relaxing during the evening in a hookah bar with a friend of hers. The next day I met up with another couchsurfer who offered to show me around with her guests and saw some different places in east Berlin and learned more about the history of the city. It was so fascinating to hear about the stereotypes of the east that the western Berliners held even years after the wall fell. Even today there is still much higher unemployment in the east than in the west; the problem is also only being exacerbated by the many students who leave east berlin and go to work in west berlin where there are better paying jobs leaving the infrastructure of the east still to be fully developed. While walking about the city, I would seemlessly pass from east to west never really knowing which side I was on. The primary signifier are the cross walk lights which display different walking icons in the eastern part and in the western part. I also had another friend who I had stayed with in Australia but was originally from berlin and she had just moved back to the city. We really felt a close bond between us while in Australia and were overjoyed to meet again and share the stories of our travels together. One of my highlights was a night a group of us all met to see a Lithuanian jazz band play in a very alternative bar/lounge. I could have stayed in Berlin for the rest of my trip and been completely content. I felt so close to all these new people I had met and had such a wonderful time with each person. Many of them were as sad as I was when I had decided to move on.

From Berlin I went to stay with a couchsurfer in Dresden. Upon arriving he was nice enough to feed me lunch and then show me around the city and country side on his motorcycle. I was surprised by how old the city still looked, knowing that most of it was all rebuilt after the war because America and England bombed it to the ground. It is so sad to see that it is so often covered up by the holocaust statistics. For those who are not familiar with the history of it, the number of deaths (uncertain because of the large number of refugees in the city) was estimated anywhere in the 30,000s to 100,000s - horrific. Besides learning about the morbid history of what happened in world war II, I had a great time. The first night we met up with some other couchsurfers and went out to a few clubs and bars. The next day I slept in pretty late, explored the city for a little while, and then found a great jazz/blues/funk band playing in a hip jazz club in the more alternative part of town. I met a piano player there who I started chatting with about music and then found that his uncle is in actor in LA - one of his more famous roles was as the German pilot that brought the guns to El Guapo in Three Amigos. (Oh the joys of the random people you meet traveling...I also met a girl who's great grandfather invented cellophane).

Something I must mention is that I found the German people to be incredibly hospitable and kind. They were so friendly and always willing to help me out whenever I had a question. For example one evening I was looking at a bus time table and an old couple came up and were asking in German if I needed any help. Some fun cultural differences is that everyone drinks beer on the streets. Beer and Germany go hand and hand. There are also some other funny different things like in the same vending machines you can buy candy and soda you can also buy condoms and cigarettes as well as beer (or at least nonalcoholic beer in the ones I have seen); I always enjoy those different sights. Another thing that I was impressed with was how many Germans speak English fairly well.

From Dresden I moved on to the small town of Offenburg right near the Black Forest in the south of Germany. Yet another wonderful experience with a local couchsurfer. Out first day we went for a bike ride and a picnic at the local lake that was certainly one of the most relaxing days I had in a long time. We walked around the town, went for some dinner, had a few drinks, and called it a night. The next day we went to Strasbourg which is right over the border into France. It was a lovely little town that fit many of the stereotypes of cute european towns. In the afternoon her mother picked us up and gave us a ride to her fathers house that was out in the countryside near Freiburg. Even though only her younger brother could speak a little english, I really enjoyed spending time with her family. Her dad and I got along quite well, regardless of the language barriers. After a night of bar hopping in Freiburg with my host and her friend, I was off the next day to the much anticipated land of Switzerland.

I feel that Germany is a country I gained the most authentic experience of in Europe due to spending so much time with locals. Even my transportation was often with locals as I used an online ride sharing service for most of my transportation throughout Germany. Many times the people giving me rides were surprised an American even knew about it. I met so many people I hope to stay in touch with, the friends I made while traveling in Germany cultivated such a meaningful experience. While in Berlin I finally arranged my plans for flying back to the states, as I didnt know when I would even be ending my trip. On July 4 (kind of ironic) I fly from Munich, Germany to New York to spend a few days with a friend who lives there. I will then fly to Maui to see a very good family friend getting married as well as meet my parents there for a few days. I then will fly back to California, spend some time getting my things together, and then take about two weeks to slowly make my way down to San Diego, seeing friends along the way, where I will be moving for graduate school. I am currently in Bern, Switzerland and am absolutely in love with everything about this country. I will try to update you soon on the swiss travel. I will spend about another week in switzerland, go back to Austria to see some extended family and some friends there, hopefully make it down to Slovenia, then up to the south of Germany where I will meet a friend to take a road trip to the Czech Republic and back before I fly out of Munich.

The Reflection

The people I spend time with mean more to me now than the sites of the cities. I love the environments I am immersed in but am progressively starting to miss the settled life. I miss being able to have order in my life and the capacity to do what I want when I want. While traveling, especially while staying at other peoples houses, I dont have the same freedoms I would have if in my own flat, to come and go as I please, to go to bed when I want or stay up as late as I want, etc etc. But this is an important opportunity for me to let go of my desires, to instead be present to the here and now, and live without focusing on the past or present. I recognize more and more how vital these experiences are for the growth of my character. One will not be transformed unless they place themselves in challenging environments. One must change their perspective to see each challenging moment as a way of dealing with their own inadequacies and as a means of self improvement to embody our potential as an enlightened being free from the restraints of desire and misconceptions of time. There are parts of this trip that have been a complete breeze and others that have really stretched me. I am so happy that I decided to take this journey alone because it has forced me to reconsider my perspectives and identity. I have learned so many things about the world on this journey but also realize, humbled by my many limitations, it is a mere glimpse so beyond my ability to truly comprehend its myteries.

Karl

PS - sorry if there are typos, I had to write fast and no time for proof reading.