...Hello, Neufahrn?

I arrived in the greater Munich area Sunday and instantly realized I would need to readjust my vision of my time here. I knew I was staying in Neufahrn, a small community 12 miles from downtown Munich. I didn't realize that going downtown takes an hour each way (if you include the walk to the S-Bahn stop) and costs $19.50 USD round-trip. At first, I nearly panicked. What would I do to amuse myself if I couldn't wander all over town? Where would I find things like a cell phone and the government paperwork I need for my internship? How would I afford to do things like go to church or meet with friends, if every trip is so expensive?

I'm still not quite sure what to make of it, but I've accepted the fact that my life generally consists of whatever’s within walking distance. Neufahrn is a subdued town…even the thunder was understated in tonight’s storm. In contrast to Innsbruck’s exuberant mountains, Neufahrn is completely flat and surrounded by fields. Due to Germany’s rigid zoning laws, it’s quite compact: all the stores are within a mile of where I live, and the houses don’t extend much past them. When I go for walks, I feel as though everyone notices me and knows that I’m new in town.

I’m staying in the “guest house” for Suss Microtec (my employer here), which means my housemates are also my co-workers. One’s a student intern almost done with his six-month stay here; the others, between ages 30 and 50, are staying here to help with specific projects. All four are guys: two Germans, one from California (I think he grew up in an Asian country), and one from Thailand. They’re all helpful, polite, and relatively friendly, but they treat the guest house more like a hotel: when they’re not getting food in the kitchen, they mostly stay in their rooms. They may become my friends, but for now they're at least my allies, which is important.

I'll be posting further impressions: to me, life in Neufahrn seems like a completely blank slate. Sometimes, the blankness is overwhelming. Other times, it’s numbing. But I have a vision of making my life here memorable.