Erasmus en alemania

Celebrating my birthday in Germany was something I will never forget. The night before, Mona, Alejandro and I went to a party. I was already having a great time, but when the clock hit exactly 00:00, everyone started singing “Happy Birthday”. I was very surprised and happy. Alejandro stayed to sleep at my house, and the next morning my host family woke me up singing the birthday song in German. It was very funny and also emotional. Then they gave me some presents, which I didn’t expect at all. They gave me a t-shirt, a board to make pretzels, chocolates and birthday cards. I felt very lucky to have such a nice host family. Later, we went to see the Allianz Arena stadium. It is very modern and impressive. Even from outside it looks incredible. We finished the day at home, relaxing and talking. Celebrating my birthday far from Spain could sound sad, but it was the opposite. It became one of the best birthdays of my life.

I'm so thankful for all the struggling of the people who works on erasmus trips everyday. The unique oportunity they gave me with this trip was amazing, and I've learned so many things that are possible just because of their work. Especially, I want to thank my erasmus responsable (Pilar) for all her work. Also I'm so grateful and proud of our education system and the oportunities that the E.U brings to us. It was an incredible trip.

 Living in Germany has taught me many things, not only about another country, but also about myself. This experience is helping me grow as a person and become more independent. One of the most important values I have learned is autonomy. Being far from my family means that I have to organize my time, prepare my school things and be responsible for my daily life. At the beginning it was a bit difficult, but now I feel more confident. I have also gained maturity. Traveling to another country, adapting to a new family and speaking another language makes you stronger. Sometimes you feel a little lost, but you learn how to solve problems by yourself. Another important part of this trip has been socializing. I met many new people, both German and Spanish, and I improved my communication skills. Even if my English is not perfect, I try to speak without fear. I also learned how to manage my resources, especially money and time. You start thinking more before spending. Finally, I disco...

Food in Germany has been a very interesting surprise for me. Before coming here, I only knew a few typical dishes, but now I have tried many new things. German meals are usually strong and very filling. People normally eat earlier than in Spain, and dinners are sometimes simpler than lunches. Bread is very important here, and there are many different types. One of my favorite foods is the pretzel. I really like its shape and its salty taste. Fresh pretzels are the best, especially when they are still warm. Potatoes are also very common, and they cook them in many different ways: fried, boiled, mashed or baked. I never imagined there could be so many options! I also ate pasta several times, and of course the famous sausages. My favourite one is the white sausage, which has a very special flavor. Trying new food is one of the funniest parts of traveling. Even if I miss Spanish food sometimes, I am really enjoying the German cuisine.

One thing I noticed is that German people are very punctual. If something starts at a certain time, everyone arrives on time. They also respect the rules a lot, both at school and on the streets. Another tradition is the importance of family time. Many people spend their evenings at home, have dinner together and talk about their day. I also saw some local celebrations and small events in the town. Even if they are not very big, people enjoy them and participate actively. It shows how they care about their community. Something that caught my attention is how organized everything is. Public places are clean, transport works well, and people usually follow the norms. Learning about these customs is helping me understand the German culture better. It is very enriching to see how people live in another country, and it makes you open your mind.

 Living in another country is an incredible experience, but it is not always easy. During my stay in Germany, I also had some difficult moments that helped me learn and become stronger. One of the hardest situations happened during my first week. I had to take a train and then a bus to get home from school. I took the train without any problem, and later I got on the correct bus. However, I didn’t realize when my stop arrived, and the bus continued moving. At first, I thought it was not a big problem because sooner or later the bus would pass again near my stop. But suddenly the bus stopped, everyone got off, and I understood that the route had finished. I was alone and I didn’t know where I was. To make things worse, my phone had no battery, so I started to feel a bit nervous. I looked around carefully, trying to recognize something. After some minutes, I saw a train station that looked familiar. Luckily, it was on the same line I use every day. I took the train back to the st...