The U-Bahn.
Excitement swelled up inside me like a balloon. I felt like an explorer who had just stumbled across a new land. Hamburg was new and exciting, with adventures waiting around every corner! Much the opposite of my small English town, the city loomed over me like a giant. My first adventure was to be from Borgweg to Gansemarkt. The U-Bahn seemed to be the most effective mode of transport. So I got on the U3 U-Bahn at Borgweg and off I went. However, due to copious amounts of excitement I managed to miss my stop at Berlinertor. And this was just the beginning…
Excitement swelled up inside me like a balloon. I felt like an explorer who had just stumbled across a new land. Hamburg was new and exciting, with adventures waiting around every corner! Much the opposite of my small English town, the city loomed over me like a giant. My first adventure was to be from Borgweg to Gansemarkt. The U-Bahn seemed to be the most effective mode of transport. So I got on the U3 U-Bahn at Borgweg and off I went. However, due to copious amounts of excitement I managed to miss my stop at Berlinertor. And this was just the beginning…
‘’Don’t panic, just get on the reverse U-Bahn’’ I told myself. The next stop just happened to be the biggest one in Hamburg. Great. Confusion ensued and I walked around hopelessly trying to find my way. When I gathered the courage to ask for help, I was immediately directed into the right direction; simple. So once again I sat myself down, and hoped for the best. I hurriedly got off at my stop, and having forgotten the nice ladies instructions, found myself once again; lost. Aimlessly wondering, I found the courage to ask for directions. Once the accent barrier was lifted, I was on my way.
Finally. Finally I had arrived. Relief filled me. As I sprinted out of the station at Gansemarkt, I felt like I was finishing a marathon. 40 minutes late, I stumbled into Urban Outfitters and profusely apologized, repeatedly. Of course she understood and all was well. We then sat down for a well-deserved coffee and as I laughed about the journey, I realized something. Me getting lost on the U-Bahn was a metaphor for moving to Hamburg from Maidstone. Confused? Let me explain…
When I moved from England to Germany, I was very excited, as I hopped on the U-Bahn of life, I got so caught up in my excitement that I missed my stop for realistic expectations. I thought to myself- the bad can wait.
When I got off at stop 1, I felt frustrated. No one had told me it was going to be this hard. How was I meant to prepare myself? I then got on the U-Bahn of life again and ended up at stop 2, hopelessness. I had no clue where to go or what to do. However I built up my confidence and managed to get help from some really lovely people.
Once again, the U-Bahn of life took me across the city, this time to stop 3, hope. More lovely people, and things were finally looking up. My last trip on the U-Bahn of life took me to my destination, happiness. Here I found all things wonderful- coffee, clothes and friends. And of course most importantly, contentment.
By Stevie Sapiano
Stadteilschule am Hafen
Klasse 10iV
(Stevie, Schülerin der STS am Hafen, Neustadt, Internationale Klasse 10)