Falling for Munich

Three days into my stay, and I have to admit it: I love Munich.

To be fair, I have barely seen any of the city, but the feeling is there. In ways, it reminds me of my first days in Brussels. I feel like a small-town kid arriving in the big city for the first time.

The neighborhood where I’m staying is not one of Munich’s glamorous areas, yet it is surrounded by the headquarters and office towers of major companies and research institutes.

At the same time, there is the local butcher shop where the woman behind the counter chats with customers in a language that doesn’t sound like German. It’s this combination of international business, local character, and cultural diversity that makes the city fascinating.

I’m full of enthusiasm and curious to see how I’ll feel once I finally make it into the city center this weekend.

I’m also very happy with my living arrangement. Sharing an apartment with people from a different generation has turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable. In exchange for helping out with the occasional technical issue, I come home to varied and delicious home-cooked meals. It’s a trade I’m more than willing to accept.

The internship continues to be enjoyable, even though there isn’t much work for me to do. I’ve completed everything that came up for the handful of colleagues who were in the office this week. The more substantial projects will begin next week.

The technology enthusiast in me appreciates the office equipment. The phones are connected to webcams, allowing people to see each other while talking, something that feels remarkably futuristic.

For now, I’m more than satisfied. Munich is making an excellent first impression.