From Finals to Feierabend

GRIP: Engineering Research in Aachen, Germany

Cover photo: Me and my friends from the program on a boat tour in Cologne.

Two days after my last final, I was on a plane to Germany.

At the time, life felt like one big fever dream. I had just barely finished packing up one part of my life before stepping into a completely new one for the next ten weeks.

Before coming to Aachen, I pictured being abroad as a constant cycle of new cities, train rides, weekend trips, and the feeling I’ve gotten quite comfortable with: unfamiliarity. And while there’s definitely been a lot of that, I have realized that being abroad also builds on something much more tranquil: building a routine in a space that once felt completely foreign.

Although I had been to Europe before, I had never been to Aachen, or to Germany as a whole. The first couple of days consisted of me relying heavily on Google Maps (and I admit there were a few times I had to do a complete 180-degree turn). However, over the past few weeks, I have started to recognize the street names, remember which turns lead to my favorite cafes, and know which buses go to different parts of the city. Even small things like knowing which mensa (German version of dining hall) serves the best food or recognizing buildings on my daily commute to the institute have made Aachen feel less like a place I’m visiting and more like a community I’m actually a part of.

One of the biggest parts of settling in has been the people and relationships I have made. There are around 50 people in the program from across the U.S. and Canada, and I have met some really amazing people I probably would have never crossed paths with if it were not for this experience. Even though we all came from different places and universities, being abroad together has made it easy to connect immediately because we are all navigating the same new environment. It was quite funny because even after the first week of meeting everyone, it quickly felt like we had been lifelong friends despite only knowing each other for a few days.

A lot of my routine has also formed around the institute. One thing I appreciate is how family-oriented the environment is. For example, everyone leaves their office doors open for people to stop by and quickly chat or grab coffee. I also ended up with an upgraded office space because the current employee is on parental leave, which was a lucky surprise and has made the experience feel even more surreal (the cathedral view from my window helps a lot with that).

I have also started picking up on little pieces of German work culture. One of my favorite words I have learned so far is “Feierabend”, which literally translates to “party evening” or basically signifies the end of the workday. I love that there is a word for that moment when work is done and the rest of the evening begins. It also says a lot about how much Germans value work-life balance. People work very hard during the day, but there is also a clear appreciation for life outside of work, whether that means playing spikeball with friends, watching the sunset from Lousberg Hill, or exploring the city center.

Of course, the travel has been one of the most exciting parts too. Aachen is a great home base because it’s centrally located in Europe. So far, I have visited Cologne, Amsterdam, Zaandam, Zaanse Schans, and the Three Country Point, where Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands meet. The sights were unreal, and the food was equally memorable. I’ll never forget the feeling of biting into a fresh stroopwafel by the Amsterdam canals or eating late-night döner and fries on the cathedral steps.

And the list is still growing. I’m definitely looking forward to my upcoming trips to Berlin and Paris with a few friends from the program. It still feels surreal that places I used to think of as faraway destinations or bucket-list dreams are now becoming regular weekend plans. But even with all the travel, I think what has surprised me the most is how much the ordinary parts of life matter. The walks to work, the lunch conversations, the inside jokes, and the small routines are what make this experience feel real.

What I have loved most is that each trip resembles its own adventure, but Aachen is always the city we return to. It’s funny how most of my friends and I refer to Aachen as “home” despite only being here for a few weeks now. There’s something special about having both the excitement of exploring new countries and the comfort of having a familiar setting to come back to.

Keeping in touch with friends and family back home has also been a game-changer. Being in a new continent is exciting, but it definitely can be overwhelming at times, especially the first week. Having people to FaceTime, text, and share updates with has been really nice. It reminds me that settling into a new place does not mean leaving everything else behind. It just means learning how to carry pieces of home with me while leaving room for how this experience can shape me in new ways.