First Weeks in Weimar

Already my first weeks in Weimar have passed and I have to admit that I adapted very fast to the new place. This secondment marks the beginning of my so-called “23-kg challenge” which means that I have decided to leave all my belongings in Karlskrona and at home and to travel with only one checked-in luggage. So far, so good I can say.

Everybody says that I have arrived in the best time of the year. This winter that I have spent in Sweden was my longest winter so far. At first the light diminished, then it started to get colder and colder and eventually it started to snow. I left exactly when the snow finally melted, and the first signs of spring started to be visible. But then I arrived in Germany and I could not believe my eyes when I looked out the train window and I realized that all the fields and trees around were completely green or fully blossomed. It was a rapid transition from an autumn-like atmosphere to the middle of spring.

On the one hand, I think this was the reason why I adapted so fast in Weimar. On the other hand, I decided to rent a shared flat and that turned out to be also a very good idea. One of my flat mates, Anna, is very nice and she took me on a city tour the very first day I arrived and showed me all a lot of nice places and recommended me where to go and what to avoid.

I was also very surprised to see how friendly the people can be in Weimar. I arrived on a Saturday and during the afternoon I went to the grocery store. When I came back I noticed that some students were grilling in front of my apartment house and out of the blue, as I was passing by, one of them asked me what I had in my shopping bag. I told them that I just arrived in Weimar and that I went to the grocery store. Suddenly, they invited me to join the barbecue.

Another day I was sitting next to a fountain in the center and an old man came to me and we started to talk. But before he dared to asked me to help him write a text message, he told me that he is originally from Köln and that he is visiting Weimar together with his wife. He explained to me that he knows how to use his phone for calling but not for texting. Peter had already written his little letter on a postcard and then I typed and delivered the digital message.

Apart from gaining first impressions from the city, I applied for some courses given by the Bauhaus Research School for the PhD students enrolled at the university, got myself at home at university library, together with the rest of ESRs seconded at BUW discussed the contents of the seminar we are going to teach etc. You can read all about it in the next issue of urbanHIST newsletter.

Text and photo: Andreea Blaga