Unlike in the United States, in smaller parts of Germany there is no need for a car. Unless you need to travel long distances or carry something big and heavy, you can easily get anywhere you need to by walking or by taking a bike. Many of my friends bike to school or work every day, regardless of the weather! When I moved to Germany, I had to learn to adjust to not taking a car everywhere. I had to learn to budget time to walk somewhere or to plan my travel around public transportation schedules. But now that I have adjusted to this different way of viewing transportation, I really enjoy the fact that it gives me physical exercise and is better for the environment, too!
Greifswald is a pretty small town, so you can see a lot of things without going very far. As a result, most people bike everywhere! Bikes are the easiest way to get to school, the supermarket or the beach. People who don't go by bike usually go zum Fuss ("zoom Foos") or "by foot". I walk everywhere, which is great exercise. It's easy because school is only eight minutes away, and the supermarket is only fifteen minutes away! It never gets too cold here to walk, but sometimes it does rain, so I always have to make sure to have my umbrella with me!
