Trains, Concerts and Bars

This pretty much sums up my social life here in Germany – it’s a good mix of high- and low-culture, no? A quick explanation for each:

Trains: It’s interesting and I haven’t mentioned it yet, but because I’m enrolled as a student at a University here, I have a “free” transportation pass that allows me to use all Nahverkehr/Regional transportation in my entire state – from the busses that get me around Detmold and to school in Blomberg, to the (admittedly slower) trains that can take me all the way down to Köln.  It’s as wonderful as it sounds!  Some people complain about not being able to use the fast trains but I feel less touristy and more authentic on the “Bummelzüge.” It’s also worth mentioning that this pass is just another reason why I’m extremely lucky to be in the state that I am, North-Rhine Westphalia, as most assistants in other states don’t have such awesome, well-priced, and extensive transport options.

Concerts: As previously mentioned, both of my roommates study at the Music School in Detmold, which means I’m constantly being told about (free) concerts or performances they’re doing.  It’s not only a lovely way to occupy my time, but it’s also interesting to see myself develop a bit of an interest in classical music: lately, I’ve found myself spotify-ing different cello sonata’s and the like!

Bars: Not much to explain here, though I do want to mention that beer is a lot less expensive at a bar in Germany than it is in the US.  Yesterday, a small Guinness only put me back 2,20 EUR, which is still under three bucks (also, Germans use commas where we use periods, and vice-versa). Furthermore, a bar is a great place to practice my German, as it’s actually quite a challenge to carry on a conversation in a foreign language in such a loud and confusing setting!

Add it all up, and you’ve got my weekends.