Warning: this is a real rambly one (and I have just decided that "rambly" is a word)

As I am off to Munich on Friday for Oktoberfest (and I am not going to have any fun and I am not going to drink any beer. None. None beers. Hahahahaha who am I kidding, bring it on Oktoberfest), I figured this post should be a little early.

I have been in Hamburg for a month now. How strange. I am finally feeling more settled in, I now have a German cell phone (oh god, I’ve become one of those people who have multiple phones, just like Man-Whore-Pete-From-My-Jet Blue-Flight, but that’s a story for another day), I have visited a concentration camp (why do I feel that this is some dark and sinister, but necessary, rite of passage for being in Germany?), I have figured out how to handle the whole trash/paper/recycling situation in my apartment (as well as the washer, and holy shit I didn't realize how amazing it is to have a washer in your apartment where you can wash your clothes for free. Whenever you feel like it. Does this mean I will no longer own a month’s worth of underwear and put off doing laundry until the last minute? Nope, not by a long shot), and I am continuing to ride the struggle bus that is my understanding of the German language (case in point: when sitting in a park reading, let’s say you are approached by a cute German guy who has set up his tripod and is taking pictures of the park. Cute German Guy gestures towards his camera and tripod and goes off on a tangent about said camera/tripod, then asks about the book that you are reading, and tries to make conversation. Do you a) try to get by with your limited German, but generally make the best of it, b) say very politely that you don’t understand what he just said but you hope that he speaks a little English because damn he’s cute and judging by the excess of photography gear you’d have lots to talk about, or c) look like a deer caught in headlights, nod a lot, giggle, smile, pretend to understand, and then say goodbye and extract yourself from the situation, only to realize a few minutes later that three weeks without normal social interaction was starting to take its toll, and shit, you had really handled that situation poorly).

Anyway.

To fuel my love of lists, and celebrate my first month here, I shall now elaborate on what I love about Hamburg so far, what I miss about Boston, and what I do not miss about Boston:

Things I love about Hamburg

1. The fact that there are so many gardens here that it never has that city smell; it just smells like fresh air and fallen leaves (I may or may not be freaking out innocent bystanders by taking really deep breaths of the fresh air. Whatever Germans, maybe I really like breathing enthusiastically okay?)

2. Their public transit, which is remarkably fast and efficient (my only qualm is that paying for tickets is based on an honor system. And I have only seen the transit police once in the month that I’ve been here, and this is really testing my ability to be a good person/law abiding citizen. It’s like they are daring me to try to use their delightful public transportation for free) (They aren't daring me. And with my luck the first time I try to use the bus sans ticket will be the time the transit police show up and then they’ll handcuff me and I will probably cry. The End).

3. The food (GUYS THEY LIKE SAUERKRAUT AS MUCH AS I DO), the beer, and my local grocery store Sky, which I like to call “The Holy Grail of Grocery Stores”, because I’m pretty sure it’s the best grocery store ever.

Things I miss about Boston

1. David’s Tea, Thai food from A @ Time, shawerma from Garlic ‘n Lemons, all of the vegan baked goods from Fomu, and my daily Arizona iced tea and Sabra hummus at work (also Pop Tarts. For some reason I really want Pop Tarts.)

2. My daily walk to and from Seaport to Park Street (my daily walk to and from school here involves too many shops and grocery stores for me to get distracted by. “Oh sorry I’m late for work guys, I stopped to get tea and then accidentally went grocery shopping and then bought a bejeweled skull and a house plant”) (Just kidding, I can’t buy a houseplant, I would kill it. I do have an orchid in my room, but I’ve been told that those are hard to kill. Challenge accepted) (Also, there is actually a housewares store on my way to school that is selling a bejeweled skull. And I kind of want it).

3. My friends and my cat (who is currently in a cone of shame. My cat, not my friends. Although a few of them could use a cone of shame every once in a while. I LOVE AND MISS YOU GUYS THOUGH), and all of the hipsters in Allston (I have yet to find the part of Hamburg inhabited by pierced, tattooed peoples who play multiple musical instruments, wear beanie hats, and sometimes walk their dog while riding a skateboard).

Things I don’t miss about Boston

1. The green line/Boston’s public transportation in general (Let’s talk about the German public transportation again for a hot second. The buses come every five minutes. Every. Five. Minutes. Sometimes they even come early, which I didn't even know was a possibility. Also I have yet to encounter as many crazies as the green line has. For instance, no one has been flinging sherbet around and then starting fistfights and then making out with their “pregnant” lesbian girlfriend. But again, that’s a story for another day).

2. Working retail (‘Nuff said).

3. The onslaught of college students/youths overtaking the city (I’m talking to you, BU students who get on the T at Pleasant Street and then get off at BU Central. JUST WALK TEN MINUTES LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING).

And there we have it. Congrats to whoever is still reading this, but I did warn you that there was going to be a lot of rambling nonsense and parentheses. At least I am a woman of my word.

(We will end this with more parentheses, because I read somewhere that blog posts should only be like 700 words because people get bored and won’t read it, but there are lists here, so I feel like it doesn't count. Also I used enough italics and unnecessary caps lock that I figured I would hold your attention for a while. Next time I am going to attempt to add pictures!)