An introduction
My name is Josh and I have just completed my third year of my BA Linguistics, Spanish & German course. I spent this academic year in Hamburg, northern Germany, studying at the University of Hamburg.
Before I had even considered Hamburg as an option, I knew that I wanted to go to Germany for my year abroad, because I have been fortunate enough to experience a lot of Spain in my life, and I wanted to throw myself into the deep end of a new culture. When it came to choosing universities in Germany, Hamburg was my favourite option and selecting to spend almost 10 months there was one of the best decisions of my life so far, no exaggerations.
So much so, that I would recommend to anyone with the possibility of living abroad as part of their degree, that Hamburg is the place to be.
A bit about Hamburg
The Hanseatic City of Hamburg is a city state in the north of Germany with a population of almost 2 million, and is the largest city in Europe that is not a national capital. It also hosts the longest metro line on the continent. It would be very cliché to describe Hamburg as underrated, but it surprises me even now that Hamburg is not considered one of the tourist hotspots in northern Europe with all that it has to offer.
It is characterised by magnificent architecture in the centre of the city, several green spaces, and is an absolute dream for water-lovers: the Alster lake above the city centre, the hundreds of canals spanning across the city’s neighbours and the expansive Elbe river that dissects the city all make for fantastic walks, water-sport activities and serene waterside spots.
Hamburg also has a thriving nightlife for more outgoing people such as myself, and I would recommend the Sternschanze district for an evening drink, the Reeperbahn area of the St. Pauli district is, albeit slightly chaotic, a great place for clubbing, and for live music enjoyers, you can find the Uebel und Gefährlich nightclub in an old WW2 bunker.
Hamburgers are very active people, particularly when it comes to walking or jogging around the Alster. So if you want to feel like a local, that’s something I would suggest trying.
What did I get up to in Hamburg?
In short, just about everything to be honest. The study hours on my year abroad there were not as demanding as I was used to, and so I had plenty of free time to explore and partake in social activities. I really enjoyed joining the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) events, which were an opportunity to see some new spots in the city, meet friendly people from all over Europe, and let your hair down a bit.
Aside from trying some of Germany’s best pilsners and hells with mates across the cities, and joining local football teams, there was one Hamburg milestone I completed that I think is quite unique. I set my self the challenge of walking from the Northern-, Eastern-, Southern- and Westernmost points of the state of Hamburg to the central station, a combined distance of about 120km across four trips, and I’m so glad I did it! I’m not really a hiker but actually, it was so fascinating to see some of Germany’s luscious countryside beyond the tall buildings of the city, which I just wouldn’t have noticed had I not made the effort to venture to these geographical points.
Other things I did in Hamburg include attending some of Hamburg’s cultural festivals, like the Christmas markets, serving Glühwein and Bratwurst which were warming oases in a bitter cold winter, and going to the Hafengeburtstag (Hamburg Harbour Birthday) to see boats showing off synchronised dancing, and evening fireworks and live music. Even though I am an avid football fan, I wasn’t able to buy a ticket for a live football match in Hamburg to watch the two clubs FC St. Pauli or HSV, but I was present for HSV’s promotion party. I attended the Hamburg Tennis Open as well, which was an unforgettable experience!
Anything else?
I didn’t just stay in Hamburg for 10 months, even the most ardent Hamburg enthusiast must journey outside of the state every once in a while. I visited nearby cities: Bremen, Lübeck, the beach at Travemünde and the castle in Schwerin. I also went with a friend on a long weekend to Copenhagen and Malmo which are both easily accessible from Hamburg.
I was able to return to the UK for an interval between semesters, which is also important to consider, because it is a long time to spend away from home and family, and the home comforts are a nice relief from what is very independent living.
Some challenges
I did have to wrestle with quite a lot of admin before and during my stay in Hamburg. I think the Germans quite like their burocracy! The backlog for residence permit applicants is pretty staggering, especially in city states like Hamburg and Berlin, and it was a source of frustration on many occasions. It also coincided with organising a house for the following year of university, and preparation for academic tasks aside from my work in Hamburg. I had to learn to be very patient and read German documents and laws very carefully.
My accommodation was alright, but not perfect, and I was one of the youngest people living there. I also found it kind of tiring that everyone’s first question for the token Brit in the building was: “What do you think about Brexit”, as if I were some sort of political expert, representing the voice of the British nation.
I also occasionally deal with FOMO, which particularly hits when you’re feeling a little homesick, missing family and friends back home, and also university friends graduating whilst I was still abroad wasn’t the nicest feeling. Yet again, I had to remind myself how fortunate I was to be surrounded by a great city with great people and there were plenty of my own memories to make where I was.
On being a Hamburger
I think it’s fair to say I absorbed a decent amount of culture (and of course some vocab) whilst in Hamburg, to the extent that if I were to identify myself in a German context, I would be a self-pronounced Hamburger. It really is a city that invites you to return, and I’m sure that my course mates and I will be back in the imminent future. It is a fantastically varied city that caters for every hobby.
Pictures
