The Germany Blog Post

Here we are. The post you've all been waiting for. The post that at least 20 people have asked me to write: The Germany Blog Post. As always, I promise to keep it real, so be prepared to read about happy and sad times.

I have been in Germany for ten full days now. I arrived to Frankfurt the Sunday before last with my aunt and uncle. That night we had great german food, and got to see a bit of the town. Accessibility was okay, but not great, but I didn't worry, as I wasn't staying in Frankfurt for long. The next day we drove all the way to Tübingen, which is about a two hour drive, but it took us about three, because we accidentally took a wrong turn or two (thanks to not having very great cell service for maps). Nonetheless, we arrived in my new city, and were able to do a little tour of my dorm area. I should mention that at this point my brain was like- OH SHIT THIS IS SO INACCESSIBLE THERE IS NO WAY- because my dorm is on a giant hill. Also unfortunately, something I ate didn't agree with me, so I had horrible abdominal cramping all day and was pretty miserable, so once we got to our Airbnb I almost immediately went to sleep. It was not a great day. Luckily, the next day I felt much better.

The next day, I got the keys to my apartment and we did a whole lotta shopping! I needed a lot of things, because at first my apartment honestly felt like a prison cell. It's basically all concrete and there is very little furniture, so I had to get some things to spice up the place. Also, despite being told it would be furnished, my room did not have all the things necessary for survival. I had to buy dishes and pans and then of course all the other typical dorm things like blankets and towels, but finally after almost a whole day of shopping, my aunt and uncle and I were able to make my apartment feel much more like a home. I also got the grand tour of the dorm area, and realized that it was much easier to get to the bus stop than we had thought, so I felt much better about everything and was no longer feeling as intimidated.

The following day (Wednesday) I had orientation and said goodbye to my aunt and uncle, and it was my first night alone in Germany. I got a tour of the main part of town during orientation and it made me feel concerned, but I also got to see that the city is really beautiful. It was a long day, and I was exhausted, but I felt okay about everything.

On Thursday my buddy Aysel (if you are reading this, hi!!), a student from the University of Tübingen, showed me where my classes would be and helped me set up my phone. Hanging out with her was awesome, because she is super nice, and it made me feel a bit better about getting around on my own. The next few days I spent grocery shopping and hanging out in my room watching Netflix and processing everything that had happened over the previous couple of days. I processed too much.

I thought about how the prettiest part of town is the older part, which of course is less accessible and extremely hilly. I thought I wouldn't be able to get there at all if I was alone and it made me very sad. I cried for awhile, because this was the first time in my four and a half years of paralysis where I actually felt defeated by my disability (because how could I live here and not be able to go to the best part of town?). Ever since I have become paralyzed, I have known that things would not come easy to me, but I always felt anything was possible. But I realized that the world as a whole needs to improve its accessibility tenfold (a millionfold!), because I (or any other person with a disability) should never have to feel like we don't belong somewhere or like we aren't welcome, or like something is impossible. I hit a low point. I wanted to go home and I was so upset with myself for being paralyzed (which yes, I know I had no control over it, but it's just how I felt). I cried a lot, and I really worried I wouldn't be able to stay for a whole year.

-Cut to yesterday and today.-

I have had the greatest last two days. I have made friends and traveled around the city a ton, and I learned that it actually is possible for me to get around the old part of town without help, as long as I take a specific route. The old town is absolutely gorgeous, and I am extremely happy I can go there, because I will definitely be frequenting it. My friend Keera and I went around and we got gelato and döner kebabs, which are amazing, and we went to a few different little stores. We also just sat a few times to admire the area and chat. The last two days proved to me that whatever happens this year, I can figure it out. Granted, my arms are hella sore, mostly from slowing myself down when going downhill, so I will probably be ripped when I get back to the US.

Overall, even though I had a rough start, I am finally learning that I really can do anything I put my mind to, and I am proud of myself for facing things that seem terrifying and impossible. I am looking forward to whatever happens this year, and I really hope that I can take the information I learn here and share it with other people. Hopefully, sharing my experiences will allow others to become more aware of the inaccessibility of the world, and hopefully it will inspire them to also help push for change. I also hope to inspire other wheelchair users to not be afraid to do something like this, and to go completely out of their comfort zone. But for now, I am going to just live it and try to write about it as best as I can. Until my next post! Tschüss!