So, its now been two months since I left the beautiful Australian summer to come to the dark, cold German winter, but it isn't all bad. I've had a really great time here so far. I've enjoyed a traditional German christmas with popular German food like bratwurst, salzkartoffeln and grünkohl Which is basically sausage, boiled potatoes and cabbage. Very nice in winter. I've looked around the city and been to the movies a few times. They have some really great cinemas here that screen indie English films. The first two weeks of the New Year for me have been pretty stressful. I've just been trying to apply for a visa in Germany and getting work here is not too easy. But I'm happy to say that I've landed a job working as a waiter in a nice Italian restaurant. So now the ball is rolling! 

I've been lurking around the bars lately and checking out the Hamburg scene. This city has a really unique night life. From the upper class city centre, to the hipster uni area Sternschanze, and the crazy Reeperbahn scene, Hamburg caters for all walks of life. The beers here are really cheap compared to back home. One stubby (bottle) costs about 2.50 - 3 Euros which equates to about 5 Aussie dollars. Thats a bargain! Back in Oz, one bottle of beer in a bar is at least 7 or 8 bucks. And a pint is over the 10 dollar mark these days. Its a bit "free-er" than Oz as well. I can walk the streets with a beer in my hand no problem. And people are allowed to smoke in many bars. This enhances the social scene but it's also annoying when you come home smelling like smoke. 

However, there are two things I find difficult about living in Germany. The first thing is, the pace here. Hamburg is a very fast paced city compared to my quiet home town of Perth in Australia. Everyone is always rushing around and the stressful energy rubs off onto me. Another thing is, the people here take things way too seriously. In Australia we always try to make a joke of every situation. I can't do that here. Us Australians have a very specific sense of humour, which can be quite offensive to some Germans. Other than that though, everything is great here and its a very safe, affordable city. 

Have you ever lived abroad? And if so, what were your experiences? I would love to hear from you. Feel free to comment below. 

Thanks for reading and happy New Year. 

Ray 



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    Raymond Uhe is a young Australian writer, rapper and student, currently living in Hamburg, Germany. 

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