Hit by wanderlust: Bonn, Germany

I have been learning German language at Goethe Institute Singapore since 2012 and earlier this year, I received an email on a scholarship to do a 4 weeks intensive German language course at Goethe Institute in Germany. This was an golden opportunity and without a doubt, I applied. I remembered clearly that I couldn't understand one of the interview questions and I sought clarification. At the back of my mind, I thought, oh nein, I wouldn't stand a chance as I couldn't even understand the question. Imagine my surprise when I received notification that I won the scholarship! I was exhilarated! Looking back, I was glad that I answered honestly and sincerely during the interview instead of trying to bluff my way out. Perhaps, that's why I got the scholarship. They might be thinking, she really need an intensive course to brush up her German! :)

In September, I set off to Bonn. You might wonder why I picked Bonn out of the many cities in Germany. I've been to a few cities in Germany and personally, I prefer smaller cities. Bonn is the former capital of West Germany, the headquarter of Haribo and Deutsche Welle and the birthplace of Beethoven. It is located in Bundesland Nordrhein-Westfalen, west of Germany. I chose Bonn as I would like to experience a different lifestyle, from a hectic, fast-paced lifestyle to a more peaceful one; and to escape from the crowd and have more space to myself.

Haribo macht Kinder froh, und Erwachsene ebenso

There is a Haribo shop in Bonn city center and a factory outlet which is accessible with U-Bahn

Bonn is the headquarter of Deutsche Welle (Germany's international broadcaster) and Deutsche Post. It is a well known secret that the food at the canteen at Deutsche Welle is super delicious! You would need to make an appointment to visit DW though. Here comes the good news! You can walk in to their canteen during lunch time and get a guest card to eat there. I can attest that the food is yummy! Lecker!

Beethoven Haus

As I arrived in Bonn a few days before the German language course began, I stayed at Sylvia's house at Landgrabenweg. You can find her on airbnb. Her house was really cozy and clean. It is located next to River Rhein and when the weather is good (sunny), I loved to jog or stroll along the river. Sylvia has two cats, Mia, which stays indoor and another cat which stays outdoor. I had fun playing with her cats, especially Mia. Sylvia has a garden and I could understand why the Germans love to suntan in their garden or balconies. Unlike in Singapore where it is so hot and humid, it is much cooler and dryer in Germany. Without the sunshine, it feels cold and gloomy. Everyone is drawn to the sun as the sunlight makes the surrounding more pleasant. I too, had an enjoyable time suntanning in the garden with Mia. The downside of Sylvia's house is that it is not located in the city center. However, it can be reached by a bus from Bonn bus terminal and the bus stops directly outside her house. Bus/tram rides are expensive in Bonn. It starts from 2.80 Euro for a ride within the city. I remembered I walked for about 45 min from the city center to her house once just to save on the bus fare.