I am, therefore, reaching out around town to find people who like the same things I do though, like board games, video games and biking. Another person I have met so far is my friend Miranda. She is a lovely American woman from New York, and the only other American I know in this town. She likes to hike and to play board games like I do, and I like that she cares a lot about the environment.
Sometimes I have trouble adjusting to the different expectations of German people. For instance, Germans always sort their trash and recycling into several categories. That took some getting used to. Bathrooms are also harder to find sometimes, because most public bathrooms require you to pay a fee in order to use them. It is hard to do anything essential on a Sunday, because everything shuts down on this day. Some restaurants are open, but the grocery and clothing stores are closed, and almost everything else is shuttered. When the stores are open, it can sometimes be hard to pay if I only have a card. Germans tend to use cash when they go shopping, and not all stores will accept a credit card or a check. Even with all these differences, I still like living here in Landau, and life is not as hard as it may sound. These differences are things that a person can get used to. For example, I make sure to go shopping on a Saturday, so that I have food to eat on Sunday morning. I also carry a few coins everywhere I go, just in case I need a restroom. It still feels strange sometimes, but I also feel at home here. People at my favorite shops recognize me, and students I have met say hello in the hallways at school. I am looking forward to seeing what kind of home Landau will be in just a few months’ time. After such a positive start, I am optimistic about the future!
