Glad I Don't Have To Live Without It

It's no secret that we live in an incredibly globalized world. There are the positives and negatives that stem from being connected nearly every moment, but I'm not going to talk about that now. For me, the advances in communication have been a nice change. I remember the summer of 2009, barely three years ago, when I spent a month in Germany through Camp Dudley's exchange program. Then, if I wanted to call home, I had to find a pay-phone, enter multiple codes and extensions, and finally dial the number. The system worked, but it seems ancient now, when I can pick up my iPhone and FaceTime or iMessage nearly anyone free of charge. The world is shrinking to the size of the smartphone in the palm of your hand.

I introduce my post in this way because even though I am thousands of miles away, I don't feel far from home. For fun, I want to share a few things I enjoy from back that I've been pleasantly surprised to find here in Germany.

• Subway Sandwiches - While McDonalds is far and away the most popular American fastfood chain here in Germany, it's the lone Subway in Bad Homburg that was fun for me to discover. I'm playing soccer a lot, and because I'm often preparing for practices and games, my thoughts often drift back to my days at Mt. Greylock. It's actually not the soccer but the basketball I remember; for every long road trip we were treated to Subway sandwiches and homemade cookies during the bus ride home. Subway also makes a great pre-game meal, so it's been fun having the quick-stop sandwich shop in town. 
• Snyder's Pretzel Pieces - These honey mustard and onion flavored nuggets of goodness were the only reason I made it through AP exams, so when I saw them featured in the local Rewe grocery store, I had to throw a bag in the basket. I savored the bag, though I've yet to go back for more, namely because they only sell small sizes for disproportionately high prices. But no matter the price, they're still my favorite (unhealthy) snack. 
• Aunt Ina's Relish - If you've noticed a food theme here, well, good for you. I haven't made my final decision on whether I like German food more than American, but in the meantime I've enjoyed trying just about anything. Still, I've missed nothing more than my mom's and grandmother's home cooking; Sunday nights here aren't quite the same as the family dinners at the Storey's in Williamstown. I brought a jar of the Storey specialty homemade Aunt Ina's relish as one of my gifts, but it seems that the Judsons aren't quite as keen about it as I am. They've  all tried it and said they liked it, but I'm the only one who digs it out of the back of the fridge every once in a while to put it on a sandwich.
• The NFL & Fantasy Football - These are a slight exception to the rules of my list, as I am really the only one I know of who spent this past Sunday night in front of my computer from 7 PM to 1 AM watching low-quality streaming of the Patriots and other NFL teams. At the same time I watched my Fantasy Football team's stat-tracker--following each of my players as they racked up points. It's amazing what you can do with a computer, but what I find even better is that I can watch the Patriots at the same time as my brother back home and message him throughout the game about the plays and our observations. Sports connect us in more ways than we know.
• The BS Report - I wrote about this in a previous post, but one of the highlights of my day is waking up with a twenty minute bike ride to school while listening to my favorite podcast, the BS Report. I've been able to stay in tune with American sports (it's exciting to follow the Patriots right now, not so much for the Red Sox) and put my time on the bike to good use. 

 

Despite the American products that have infiltrated the German market, consumerism here is very different than back home. I am a strong believer that being immersed in a new culture means doing it their way. If the Germans can live without it, so can I. Trying new things is and will be one of the highlights of this trip for me. I have already discovered a few German products and aspects of the lifestyle that I want to have back home. When I leave in December, I know I will leave behind so many favorites that are uniquely specific to living in Germany.

In my next post I'll turn this topic around and share my Love/Hate list of German products, customs, and expectations.