My New Life in Bavaria

My team is called Münchner Wolpertingers and is actually named after a Bavarian fantastic beast. Because we are a handful of international players, our official language is English. However, there is always an opportunity to learn about German culture or even the Bavarian dialect.

Thanks to quidditch, I have traveled to other cities in Germany for local and national tournaments, such as the Bavarian League, where Munich is playing together with Augsburg, Bamberg, Passau, and proximately Eichstätt, Landshut and Nürnberg.

When I was a kid, I used to watch my grandpa watering and looking after his small garden. He seemed to be very happy and cheerful spending time there and taking care of the vegetables. Sometimes, he would ask me to fill the watering can and water the garden all by myself; that feeling of happiness and accomplishment when I was helping him has always been with me.

I lost my grandpa a few years ago, and his small garden is dead now. I’m living thousands of kilometers away from that old beautiful house which used to have a green garden. For the past few years, I have been doing my doctoral studies at the University of Bamberg. Those who have started their PhD journey know that it is a challenging path. There are times when you feel you can’t go on any further because you feel stuck and overwhelmed. Then, some kind of distraction is necessary and helpful for your mental health.

I came across the UniGardening Project when I was sitting in the office trying to overcome writer’s block. I received an email from the university’s International Office inviting those who are interested in gardening to cooperate in the project. All of a sudden, there was a vivid memory of my grandpa smiling and tending to his garden. I saw myself hovering around him and helping him with watering and weeding; and immediately I decided to take part in the project.

I am very excited about it now. Together with my friend I am taking care of our tiny beautiful garden! Gardening and getting my hands dirty in the soil is a mood-booster for me; a distraction to chill out from the busy stressful days of PhD life. Growing my own little garden gives me a sense of accomplishment and helps me focus on beautiful things; I feel I am more in tune with the earth. Besides, it is hugely rewarding when you’re eating what you’re growing.  I’m sure we’re going to have lots of fun growing and nurturing our tiny garden, thanks to the UniGardening Project!

The hardest thing was to fix a suitable date for everyone, which was quite surprising as in India we arrange meetings spontaneously and here, I had to schedule our party three weeks in advance. In the end, we could have them all in one place, and everybody had a fun learning about Indian cuisine and enjoying the food.

In India, we generally eat warm dishes. In Germany, on the other hand, people often eat cold food, like the famous “Butterbrote” (sandwiches). It was also interesting to see that there are so many bread varieties in Germany, available in different sizes, shapes and degree of softness.

Recently, we have also introduced a ritual called "Leberkäs Friday" in our institute, in which for breakfast we prepare a sandwich, which is made by putting Leberkäs (meat) inside two buns with mustard sauce. As I am vegetarian, sometimes I join with cheese instead of the meat, too. It allows me to enjoy some food as well as some light-hearted conversations with my colleagues. Overall, my research experience in Bavaria has been really nice and I hope it stays the same for the coming years as well.

Ranging in the Krün-Mittenwald area, very close to the Austrian border, there are a number of stunning places to visit. Plenty of small lakes and hikes suitable for both experienced and novices adventurers are within an hour or less from Munich. Given that even towns are relatively elevated there (1000-1200 meters above see level), most tracks are only moderately steep and can be explored with mountain bikes, something I warmly suggest!

My favourite trip was the one to the Isar springs, in Tyrol, which took about three days starting from Benediktbeuern. If you have the opportunity, don't forget to grab a beer in one of the many breweries around there and have your camera at hand—the geography and fauna of the area allows for rare and beautiful photo-shooting sessions and animal encounters.

With Easter around the corner, we have already put out decorative eggs in the garden as a sign for the Easter Bunny that the children would be looking forward to its visit. In Bavaria, on Easter Sunday the Bunny usually hides coloured boiled eggs and chocolates all over the garden. As the morning arrives, the little ones go on the Egg Hunt and then feast on their hard-earned spoils of the hunt.

Even though the lockdown stretched through the complete winter, one could still revel in the beauty and serenity of the cold. From lakes freezing over to landscapes covered in snow—winters in Bavaria are nothing short of magical. Children and adults alike can enjoy sledging before having a hot chocolate or Glühwein (hot spiced wine).

Temperatures are starting to rise now. The sun is out, melting the snow off the winter decorations and people are engaging in outdoor sports again. Spring is right around the corner. I hope it’s going to be just as exciting as this winter in Bavaria!

On weekends, I often walked a trail with some old and new friends. Since I spend a lot of time working at my desk during the week, such walks are pretty rewarding.  After a fresh snowfall, the whole landscape transforms into a magical white experience.

After a good walk, we used to warm up with some Bavarian delicacies such as Käsespätzle or Schnitzel, and a beer, or simply hugging a mug of hot chocolate while enjoying the winter sun and views. Looking forward to enjoying these specialties soon again during my excursions!

The first weeks were complicated; I had to spend a lot of time trying to get him used to his new life. With a lot of patience, love and determination. Having a dog forced me to walk a lot, to take some fresh air and to meditate during our daily excursions, while Willy had to adapt to my working hours and to my lazy mornings on the weekend.

And that is what dogs and humans do. They adapt to each other. Willy forces me to move my lazy self and to exercise every day. I give him the food he needs and the treats he likes. When I work from home, I take some breaks to teach him new commands like “turn”, “roll” or even “open the door”. A dog chases away loneliness and gives us the unconditional love we hear so much about.

Willy made me see Regensburg from a new angle: beautiful parks, crazy snowy landscapes and hilarious encounters with other dogs. In a world without quarantine and restrictions, some restaurants and bars allow dogs to lay next to you, so I was able to keep meeting friends in the city centre and will hopefully be able to do so in the future. On excursions throughout Bavaria people are receiving us with a smile and a bowl of water. One commitment did not exclude another. I am still on the way of science and now there is a beautiful dog walking next to me.

Ecstatically, the stranger I approached for directions was very kind. She immediately switched to English upon noticing that my German was not that polished. She offered to lead me to the city center despite the fact that it was neither her final destination nor a gateway to her preferred destination. This whole experience was quite humbling, and if there is one thing that I can say to an international researcher contemplating moving to Augsburg, I think it would be: just buy heavy clothes for winter, pack your suitcases and move here. Why? Because the university Welcome Service will surely have your back, and the generous Augsburgers will make you fall in love with this historical city.

My first excursion was a walk along the Regnitz River. It was so calm, refreshing, and relaxing that it quickly became my most favorite walk until now.

The GLOMO project requires the regular mobility of early stage researchers, so we had colleagues visiting us during the pandemic. They were impressed how safe Bamberg is, and that we were able to enjoy going for a walk into the forest in spite of the presence of COVID-19.

During summer, when all kindergartens are closed, the family service organizes a special service to provide an alternative option for researchers. And when you’re on a conference, they help you find a babysitter to take care of your child.

Last year my daughter got sick and I had to stay in hospital with her for two weeks. My professor and the secretary of our department took the time to explain which support is usually provided by FAU and the German healthcare system in this situation, like working from home and paid sick leaves. The back-up of my research group is a great experience. Thanks to the comprehensive support at university, I am able to combine my family life and academic career.

Ever since I came to Germany, I saw that German people are people of rules. There are rules on everything and people seem to enjoy following them. From my point of view, it is an admirable trait. But sometimes it can lead to funny situations, just like this one with my socks.

In the first week I came to the university, my colleagues were telling me „Hey Ivan, you’ve got two different socks on!“ I explained to them that I was doing it on purpose and that I like to choose the same kind of socks, but in different colors. It makes life less serious. Over time, people got somehow used to that and understood my rules for sock selection. One day I was waking up early in the dark and I took two identical socks by accident. That day, three people stopped me and pointed out that my socks were the same! Isn’t it hilarious how people immediately spotted that I broke my own rule and warned me?! 

I was familiar with the format of Pint of Science, a world-wide SciComm organization that aims at bringing scientists to common places such as pubs to talk about their research in an everyday language. The Pint of Science Central Team was very receptive to my idea. Like many events in 2020, Pint of Science had to be moved to an online format because of the pandemic. Our small team in Freising could bring six enthusiastic PhD students candidates from the fields of Astronomy, Phytopathology and Ecology to the event. The talks were great and well attended. The discussions afterwards were very interesting, and the audience participated actively. Organizing the event was a great opportunity for me meet new people and make new friends. Our next event will be a get-together to finally meet each other in person. I am looking forward to Pint of Science 2021!

In Munich, jaywalking—the art of crossing the street when the red light tells you not to—is relatively uncommon. Not impossible, but rare. Even late at night, when it is easier to find a bar than it is a driver, some pedestrians still stand at empty intersections waiting for green.

The origins of the term “jaywalking” trace back to early twentieth-century Kansas. What began as a jay-driver, a description of unruly automobiles and horse-drawn carriages barreling down the wrong side of the road, became shorthand for those with poor “sidewalk etiquette.” Now jaywalker includes both cautious street-crossers and rebels who wish to play cat and mouse with cars.

Despite considering myself of the cautious variety, it was only in Munich that I realized I am a jaywalker at all. In cities where jaywalking is the norm it goes unnoticed. Here, it sticks out. And so although I risk a fine, or worse yet, stink-eye from the patient pedestrians waiting for green, I can’t help but walk ahead. A reminder that learning the rules is one thing, and learning to follow them another.