Life in Hilde

I'm writing this post as I would have liked to have read something like this before coming to Hildesheim. For the record, I haven't finished my Erasmus year yet, so I can answer any questions you have and even find out something you want to know.

Hilde (as we call it) is a small, quiet town. It's good that it's small, because you quickly become familiar with the whole city and it's very easy to get around. As there aren't any huge streets, it's also less overwhelming and more welcoming. In addition, you can ride a bike everywhere, as it's perfectly set up for bicycles.

As i was saying, when I say Hildesheim is a quiet city, it's true. The reality is that Hilde doesn't have many recreational places for young people. In the center you can find a lot of shisha bars. You also have the alternative bar "Wohnzimmer". This is where you go to drink and play board games, basically. Also there's the Irish Pub, which usually has live music and a Quiz Night every Thursday. But the best-known and also largest bar is KuFa, an old factory which is now reformed to house the best parties in Hilde. KuFa also often offers cultural and alternative activities. KuFa is good, but since it's the only place we can go [when I arrived here, there was another club, but it's closed now], it isn't as exciting anymore, you know. So if you're mainly interested in goingon an Erasmus year for the nightlife, Hilde might not be the best destination. However, Hannover is half an hour away by train. This is a much larger city where you can find more pubs and clubs (Puerto Rico & Havana are the best known among Spaniards) that are quite good. Anyway, don't get discouraged. It doesn't matter how much you party. The important thing is that you enjoy the company you keep, the people that become your family here. And, in Hilde, I'm sure you'll find some good friends.

Hilde may seem like it has little to offer when you arrive. But if you attend the Stadtführung - a guided tour of the historic center offered by the University during the welcome week - you'll see there are some lovely parts of the town. It has two World Heritage Sites: the Cathedral and the Church of S. Micaelis. You'll encounter typical German architecture as you wander around, which personally I love. They're like houses from a fairytale. There's also the Markplatz, which is the square where the Christmas market is held. It's very, very beautiful. A site that I recommend visiting, although it is a little more secluded, is the Domäne Marienburg. It's actually the faculty for art and music, and I find it a very inspiring place. It's also nice to go for a jog or a bike ride around this area whilst enjoying nature - more specifically the German landscape (it's all veryyyy green).

As for German culture, I will say that the Germans we (Mediterranean people) will feel more comfortable with are those that have been on an Erasmus year themselves or have left their country for a considerable period of time: they are more open and easier to connect with. However, and unfortunately I have to generalise, most Germans are cold. That's to say, it's very difficult to become friends with them and to get to know them well. And that's if they let you. But still, don't worry. Maybe you're luckier than me (or more patient). Anyway, I can say that I have several German friends here and elsewhere in Germany. They say here that when you get a German to be your friend, they'll be your friend forever. I don't know how much truth there is in that, but at the moment I'm still friends with my German friends; )

The Germans are very serious about everything they do. Rules are rules. When you go down the street, be careful about crossing the road when the light is red if there's a policeman around because it's illegal. And watch you don't cycle in areas where it's specifically forbidden. The neighbors themselves will rat you out if you do! And, uh, yeah, punctuality is synonymous with Germany, and usually this holds true... but don't rule out possible delays on trains and buses. Conversely, they sometimes even leave sooner than expected!

Might be best to get in the mindset that everything is ahead of schedule here. You have lunch earlier, you have dinner earlier, you go out earlier, and you go to sleep earlier. They normally have lunch at 12 noon and have dinner at about 18pm. That's why parties start so early... and end so early. Don't let it catch you by surprise. If you want to go out ona Friday for example, and you organise pre-drinks at 11pm and plan to arrive at the disco/club at 3am like we do in Spain... you'll find that everything's closed. So you're better off not doing that. Stick to the German schedule, for your own good.

How can we not mention the German culture's beer... with those fruity flavors served in a good 0.5-litre glass. I've never been a big beer fan, but I've learned to appreciate it here. Did you know there are countless types of beer? Well, I didn't know until I came here. The most popular beer in Spain is Pilsner. While you can find other types, such as the Weißbier, in Germany, you have access to every beer in existance. This accessibility doesn't exist anywhere else. In both the supermarkets and the bars you have endless options to choose from. The ones I like most are the ones from the Bavarian area like dunkell or hell. If you are interested to know more about the different types of beer, I'll leave this link here: Beer, processing, families and types

So, what's a normal week like in Hilde? Like I said, quiet, there's usually nothing much to report. In the morning you go to Class, you can eat later in La mensa with your friends, then go to the library to study a little. Or, if you want, you can stop by UniSport to get some exercise. During the week, usually on Wednesdays or Thursdays, you may have a party or meeting organised by ESN and they obviously start at 7pm. On Fridays and Saturdays you can take the train to visit a nearby town or go out with your freinds.

What are the classes like? Here almost all Erasmus students come to study translation. Classes aren't much of a problem, because there isn't much specialisation. I recommend that you take courses taught by a teacher called Otero, because she's very good professor and a lovely person. I like the fact that classes are only held once a week a lot. That's to say, every subject is 90 minutes of Class a week and that's it. This lets you take your time and take a lot of other subjects. In addition, in both the first and second semester I have had Mondays and Fridays Free, which has allowed me to travel quite a bit. And yes, when it comes to grading, the teachers are very considerate of Erasmus students, so don't stress yourself.

What is Hilde'sESN like? Well, they do what they can. Considering what I was saying earlier about leisure in Hilde, I'd say they do their job well. They're all very nice and open and if you have any problems they'll help you, no question. I think they should organise more parties, but of the ones they do organise, I like the "Glow in the dark" and the KABs the most. These allow you to get to know more about your Erasmus friends' culture. ESN also organises a lot of trips at quite affordable prices, as I mentioned before. I've never been to any of them, but people who have been told me that it's best to go on your own. That way you can do it on your own steam and see and do what you want. Still, we'll have to try it. I'll leave you the Facebook page in case you want to chat a little: https://www.facebook.com/ESN.Hildesheim/

The mensa: this is what you call the dining room or cafeteria in Germany, and Hildesheim's is great. The food is delicious (unless you catch a day where there's a boring menu). It's varied, with healthy choices and some not-so-healthy choices. But it's all good quality, and the best part: it's all really well priced, it's like 3-4 euros at most for your food. Tasty!

I like the library a lot. Here, silence is truly respected. It has computers with internet connection, you can print and scan... and it has a good view. Then there's the < strong>UniSport, which is like a sports pavilion, which offers many activities for FREE: zumba, yoga, climbing, volleyball, badminton... to name but a few. What I use most is the gym, which even though is only open at specific hours, doesn't have too many machines and is a little small, it's good considering I don't have to pay. If you're interested in joining an outside gym, prepare your wallet, because they cost a lot of money.

Regarding the best to live, I can only talk about my experience in my residences. I asked the university (well, they offer to do it) to find me accommodation. In my opinion, the best residences are the Katolische, Hansering and Blauerkamp. This is because of the facilities, especially the kitchen and bathrooms (single, or shared between 2/3/4/5 people). Annenstraße and the Evangelische are runners up. Here you have to share the kitchen and bathrooms with many people. From what I understand, none of these residences are more than 280 euros per month. I have lived in Hansering and have been paying 260€.

What can you find in the German supermarkets? There are lots of bio products, lots of sausages, you can also see the influence of Italian cuisine (there are lots of different kinds of pasta and sauces), and thousands of different types of chocolate and one types (cheaper than chocolate in Spain, too). Something I hate: avocados are very expensive. A single one can be worth up to 3 euros.

Where to eat out in Hilde: I love the Vapiano, which is an Italian restaurant, the Bestia pizzeria (they cook Neapolitan pizzas) and the Kebab König, which is in Schuhstraße. If you are going to order a kebab, it'll be about the size of your arm and cost just 4.50 euros. And, the kebab shop is open late at night; ) Kebab is already practically German gastronomy - the Germans themselves have told me so! But obviously, as far as German cuisine is concerned, you have to try Bratwurst, there's no question about it. You can find them everywhere.

How to get to Hilde (the first time you arrive): I flew to Hamburg and from there I caught a FlixBus that took me directly to Hilde for only 9 euros. Try to book the flight in advance because then it can be quite cheap. I got a ticket for 10 euros. I'm not making that up. Then, remember the name FlixBus because it's an option I highly recommend when it comes to getting around Germany and also visiting neighbouring countries (Amsterdam is on the edge, you know. ).

WhatCities/Towns in the Niedersachsen region (the region where Hilde is located) do I recommend visiting: Goslar, Celle, Nordstemmen Castle, Hameln (the tale of the flute player originated here), Braunschweig, Lüneburg, and of course, the cities < strong>Bremen and Hamburg. You can get to all these cities easily because your Semesterticket allows you to take regional trains for "free" - Well, you have to pay 300 euros for the card, but it's worth it, because German trains are very expensive. Just going from Hilde to Hanover costs almost 10 euros.

And their famous bikes, where can I get one? You can get one at a bike repair shop called < strong>Labora (https://goo.gl/maps/JJzXo6sy8W62). Here, as well as buying second-hand bikes, you can also bring old or broken bike to be fixed if you can get one from someone who's selling it, or no longer wants it. I got mine from there for 35 euros. It was one of the cheapest there. But there were bikes which cost 40 to 50 euros, which were obviously better. I recommend you don't buy a bike padlock there because they charge 10 euros. You're better off buying it from little (https://goo.gl/maps/bvSm9y2CMEE2), which is a business similar to Ikea. You'll find everything there, especially for your bedroom or kitchen in your residences, which are usually quite empty at the beginning: towels, sheets, cushions, mirrors, carpets, pans and pots, crockery and cutlery, pots for the desk, bulbs, trash cans...

Finally, It's worth visiting all the Christmas markets possible because they're lovely. Especially Goslar because as I understand it, it's one of the most beautiful in all of Germany. Ah, and get ready for the snow and bring a coat with you for the Wintersemester. From April onwards the weather is magnificent, allowing you to spend much more time outdoors and sunbathing at the Hohnsensee, Hilde's largest lake. If you come for the whole year, you'll be able to see this lake in two very different ways: when it's totally frozen and you're able to walk on it, and in the summer when you use it to cool off. And here in Hilde, the seasons are very, very different. It depends on where you'll be as to how much you'll appreciate this. But I really liked to see the leaves fall from the tree in front of my house in autumn, to see the snow in winter, to watch the flowers begin to bloom in spring, and I am currently experiencing the summer - which I must say is warmer than I imagined it to be. The truth is that Germany in the sun, in general, is something else. :)

There's not much left for me to say. I don't regret doing my Erasmus here because it's allowed me to meet amazing people and make friends who have already become family. I've got to know myself better, and all those typical things that they say about Erasmus which are very true. If you end up deciding to come here, I just want you to enjoy Hilde, it's people and it's peacefulness.

PD: some of the photos I used belong to ESN Hildesheim. You can find this on Facebook.