What a Time to Be Alive

It’s a strange time to be 4,500 miles away from my closest friends and family, but I know that eventually, whether it be 2 weeks or 2 years from now, the human race will come out stronger and (hopefully) more united than ever, having gone through this pandemic together. This time, Corona Virus 2020, is a very unique time.

I spent 3 days in a BEAUTIFUL town, Berchtesgaden, and it was truly an amazing experience for me.I went by myself and stayed in a hotel with only 2 other guests. The hotel staff was really kind to me. They upgraded my room from a single room with no balcony, to a double room with a balcony with a gorgeous view and bathtub. I spent two days hiking in the alps by myself. I had lots of time to relax, explore, and just chill out. Nobody in the town of Berchtesgaden seemed to have any concern over this virus, which is probably very naive, but it was a little relieving to just forget about the pandemic for a moment. On Thursday morning, I went down for breakfast and the hotel staff told me I was going to have to leave one day early because the police were coming to make sure there were no guests at the hotel, as the government had ordered all Bavarian hotels, restaurants, and non-essential shops to close down. I quickly hopped on the next train out of Berchtesgaden back to Bamberg. I was pretty sad to have to end my trip early, especially since I had had such an amazing time there. Hopefully, when Corona 2020 ends, I will be able to visit again. All the trains I was on were pretty much empty, thankfully, and the 5 hour ride went by quickly. I was riding the trains with a ticket for the wrong date (because I had to leave one day early), but none of the conductors gave me any grief.

Now that I’m back in Bamberg, I am quarantining and I’m kind of tired of it. It is difficult knowing that the end of this quarantining time may not be in sight. I have read that the virus will peak in Germany soon, so I have hope that our lives will be able to return to at least semi-normal within the next few months. I have been doing a puzzle, making a scrapbook, and watching lots of Disney+ (thanks Dad and Wendy). If anybody wants to FaceTime this week or send some messages back and forth to keep me company, let me know! I would love to hear from you.