Originally I intended to call this blog “March 5th, 2013: A Journey to the End of the Bus Line!” but due to a horrifying circumstance, I felt a name change was necessary.
Adam and I set out this morning with one thing in mind: food. If we could not find it, we agreed that cannibalism would be an acceptable solution. We boarded a bus, had a slight mishap buying the tickets, and headed into Tübingen center. Luckily, we did not become Zombies and found Gehr, a bakery in the center of Tübingen. We managed to order in German two donuts and two apples juices. Then the worst thing ever happened: we realized that apple juice comes only in a carbonated form, which tastes quite foul as if it is the direct source of evil (I learned later that apple juice does exist in its more natural state, but we still have yet to discover this pokemon).
In disappointment, we wandered down the road and went to Cafe Lieb, on Karlstraße. There is literally a Backerei and an Apotheke on every street. Cafe Lieb has at least four locations, and Gehr at least three that we have found. All of them are very good, but their pastry selections vary by location. We got pretzels (0,60 E/pretzel) and meandered down the road.
You most likely won’t get internet access until you register with the University, so planning ahead before you come here is very useful. Though we told our parents our internet access would be limited for a week or more, we did not plan ahead in finding internet cafes. Luckily, there are a few on the main street that charge minimal prices. The one we used was on Wilhelmstraße and cost 0,50 Euro for 18 minutes of internet, which seemed fairly reasonable. We used that time to send emails and find free wifi spots, like Hades Cafe.
Further down from the wifi café was Frau Simone Hahne’s office, which we went to get our cellphones and our welcome packages. If at all possible, see her the first day. Why? Because then you can begin the matriculation process sooner and get internet. You may think, wow, a week without internet, without tumblr distracting me, without my parents hounding me about whether or not I have survived the cross-Atlantic trek, but it is horrible. You do not have leo.org, canoo.net, or google translate to help you figure out that phrase you so desperately required. You also don’t have facebook, the onion, and that twitter thing.
Matriculation is a long process of completing form after form. You have to start the residency permit, you have to open a bank account, you have to have passport photos, and you have to show you have health insurance among other things. We started with the temporary permit. Some helpful tips about the permit office (assuming it does not change):
- When you enter, there will be a machine that you get a ticket at. Ignore this and the desk and the waiting section. Instead, head behind the waiting section, through doors, to another waiting section, get a ticket there. This is where you go for permit inquiries.
- Take a ticket and wait for your number to be called. The desks are sorted by last name, so your ticket will correspond to the desk/person at the desk, not necessarily the exact order.
- You will fill out a form that is in German and English (mostly). Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification. Some of the words used in the translations are not quite accurate or seem almost archaic.
- After you fill out the form and they enter in some information, you will be told to come back in about two weeks to get your actual permit started/continue the process. Make sure to bring: your lease, your acceptance letter, your passport, a passport photo, your scholarship letter, your financial disclosure letter, and your health insurance letter. Basically, every form you get, have with you.
Famished after filling forms out, we headed down the street and somehow found Rewe. It is a smallish grocery store at the end of Karlstraße that has fruit, drinks, a backerei, meat, cleaning products, etc. It is relatively inexpensive. However, despite our best effort, the apple juice we bought turned out to be carbonated. It was the biggest disappointment thus far.
We went to my apartment next and stopped at a McDonalds, feeling homesick. It had the most amazing menu: The American Stars, Part 2, which includes a Chicken Bagel and the New York Burger, neither of which I think are served in America. After grabbing some things at my apartment, we hopped a bus to the city center. An important note about the bus system: A ticket for stop 11 will always bring you to Tübingen center. The 22 Bus will take you to Viktor-Renner-Straße, but figuring out which button you hit for the correct ticket is hard and makes no sense even when looking at the signs. Tomorrow I hope to figure that out and also find regular apple juice.
Today’s Money Savings Tip: Cafe Lieb has a special for 3 pretzels for 1.65E. They make great snacks.
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