Submitted by Rmonte’ Smack on the 2020 winter session program in Leipzig, Germany sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures…
I have not really visited a city like this before, but this city life, how the people are and interact, is different than what I am used to. The people here just sort of walk in a straight line and do not move out of the way and would likely just run straight into you. Many people here do not seem to pay attention to where they are going which can be quite annoying. They are either spacing out, looking in a direction different than where they are walking, or just staring at their phones. People staring at their phones is familiar though. At the University of Delaware, people do it all the time. Germany also has a lot of bakeries with amazing pastries, pretzels, and other baked goods. The zoo we visited was very different than any I have visited before. The Leipzig Zoo is very big and is divided into different sections from around the world. You are also able to walk into exhibits with the animals which is something I have never seen in the United States. The buildings in Germany in general are very different. Most of the people live in apartment type housing and a lot of the other buildings are high up and close together. They also have an older style to them and there are many castle-like structures. Many of the roads and walkways are made with cobblestone and placed by hand.