Nick Zurasky
H-SC May Term Abroad
Münster, Germany
Summer 2019

I’ve never been to Europe before, so this is my first time experiencing a whole other culture 4,000 miles away from home. I will say that my first week and a half in Germany has been one of the best parts of my life so far. I have seen so many new and exciting places to explore, and I’ve loved every single place I have been to. I have already visited two castles while in Germany, and both of them have stunned me. Seeing just how old some of these places are really is mindboggling.

The city of Münster is a very nice place to be as well. I can walk to a café not even 10 minutes down the road, or I can take a bus into the main square and look for more shops. My host family has made it very easy for me to be able to be on my own, and experience German culture at its best. Most days here I hop on a bus near my house, put in headphones to listen to music, and ride all the way to the main market to find a café to relax at. German food is also amazing. I’ve never had more delicious sausages, or even potatoes. The quality of the food here is on another level as compared to America. I honestly think America should take some lessons in food preparation from Germany.
Now there is one thing that Germany is probably most well-known for, and that is the beer. Since I am legally able to drink beer in Germany, I will say that I have tasted many different types of beer. People were not lying to me when they said that German beer is cheap in cost, but high in quality. The culture around beer here is much different than America, and it is honestly sad to see how much stigma is placed on drinking in America. The German beer I have had is mostly local brews, and the brewers really care about their craft. Their goal is not to get someone drunk, it is to create a great tasting beer that people will enjoy during the evening. I genuinely cannot wait to experience more of the culture with my 4 remaining weeks here. Germany, by far, has been one of, if not, my favorite experiences ever.