A forest in the Bavarian Alps

Whenever I tell people I chose to study abroad in Germany, I get the most confused looks. As a Jew, I guess it’s an odd place to live, but I have grown to love it. Why, you ask? I appreciate its European location, which accommodates my love of travel. I also came to Germany to see for myself the concentration camps of World War II.

My first week here, I traveled to Munich and visited the site of what was once the Dachau concentration camp, where nearly 26,000 people were killed. It was one of those bright, sunny days that made me feel almost oblivious to what had happened there. Despite the bittersweet sentiment, it was good to see so many people visiting and commemorating the past. As sad as it was to visit this place, it was a good start to my trip.

Germany has the fastest-growing Jewish population in the world, and it’s no wonder why. Like most of our generation, German youth want to change the world as much as the rest of us, and they’ve started by making sure history doesn’t repeat itself. Although I live in a town with a fairly small Jewish population, I was surprised to discover that my university in particular held events to showcase Jewish movies, ran awareness campaigns to shed light on the horrors of the Nazi party and even participated in a German-Israeli documentary competition.

While some of the older Germans still have negative attitudes toward Jews (my German-language teacher, who claims to be “cultured,” mentioned during a lesson one day that “no one likes Jews anyway”), for the most part the younger generations have taken a stand against this attitude. It’s not uncommon to see anti-Nazi stickers and posters plastered around campus, and no one has ever treated me differently for wearing a Star of David around my neck.

That said, don’t expect to have the luxuries we have as Jews in places like New York City, Miami and Toronto. The communities are still growing and aren’t always as accommodating—in terms of synagogues, festivities, kosher food restaurants and shops—as we find in North America.

As a young adult, Germany is a truly beautiful but difficult place to live. Luckily, English is a pretty universal language, and while I know enough German to manage, I am by no means fluent, and this can pose problems when ordering food or accessing the voicemail on my phone. I also find that Germans take a long time to get to know, but once you do, they’ll be the most amazing friends you could find.

If you enjoy nature, Germany is a gorgeous place to be. I live in the South, in a city called Stuttgart, and my backyard is literally a forest scattered with rivers and ponds. You never know when a duck or deer will cross your path, or when you’ll spot someone on horseback riding in front of your door. But when you go into the city centre, there are cobblestone walkways, fountains and great shopping. There are castles and old architecture everywhere, and believe it or not, most of the stereotypes we have about German culture are true! A typical German meal does consist of sausage, potatoes and a lot of beer. A football game (what we call soccer) generates more energy than anything I’ve ever seen, and Germans do know how to party.

A few other quirky things I love about Germany: There’s always something to do, whether it’s going to a museum, attending a rally in the city centre or going to one of those awesome German festivals we see in movies. The teens tend to be stuck in the ‘80s, complete with neon clothes and mullets, and literally everything is closed after 7 p.m. and on Sundays. But if you like Middle Eastern food, Germany probably has more restaurants than most Middle Eastern countries—there’s at least one on every corner.

As both a Jew and a girl wanting to have fun and experience the world, I’d have to say Germany is a pretty cool place to live.

Sarah Nevils is from Toronto, Canada, and is currently studying media broadcasting in Stuttgart, Germany. She is a trained martial artist and enjoys dancing, reading and traveling the world.