Finding Meaning in Germany (part 1)

A polyglot and third-culture kid’s reflection on their first trip to Germany

Hello frens,

As I devote more and more time to pouring my heart into my writing, and combatting my shadow of superficiality to bring to you the true nuggets of wisdom I am experiencing day to day out in the world as a global citizen — my writing is becoming longer, and more hearty. As Jamaicans, we cook soup with all sorts of heavy yams, potatoes, other tubers, meats and vegetables. A soup, isn’t really a soup to us without the ‘food’ in it. As my writing style evolves and progresses, I hope you feel nourished by the soup I put forward, and I hope it brings you the joy and love that I feel while preparing it for you. This is part 1 of 2 of my reflection on my first visit to Germany.

It is strange how the threads of fate crawl across borders and time to greet you.

Today I find myself on a completely unplanned trip to Germany — eating lots of bread, cheese, yoghurts and sweet treats. The imagery here is reflective of many other European countries I have visited, but at the same time is distinctly German. Nordic cities have these old buildings that seem to stand a bit taller as you walk by them, so as to show their value, towering over you with performative modesty. There is a lot of white stone and cool-toned pastels that give this clean and clinical look. The streets always look a bit bare there during the summers, a distinct lack of decorative snow and ice. Nordic people feel it too, and leave the buildings and head for the forests and their gran’s quaint summer cottage. Germany, on the other hand has a more friendly kind of stone. Still punctual, distinct and kept, but much warmer, and integrated with the vines, the sun and wind that blows through. The parks all seem more open and less curated. All the grass is distinctly wild, adorned with every colour flower. Here, the nature and stone feel very close, old friends.

Despite this being my first time to Germany, it is not my only connection to her.

Just two months ago I went to have coffee and do some language studies with a friend who studied in two out of the three cities I visited on this trip. When I…