Today I revisited my childhood, a harbor city in north-west Germany where I spent about nine months of my life when I was about eight years old. This was a time before I could even speak English! I knew that being by the sea in northern Germany meant it was going to be a windy day, so I went prepared with my navy blue scarf. I wore a pair of dark blue jeans with a white sweater that has a V-cut in the front. I accentuated my neck with a bulky necklace, but kept my earrings low-key. I didn’t want to look like I was being suffocated by jewelry.

Have you ever gone back to one of your elementary schools to see if a certain teacher was still there? Well, that’s what I did today! I went to my second grade classroom, peeked inside, and, sure enough, there sat my old teacher. I hesitated about whether I should knock and bother her lecture, but, then, told myself that it would probably be a nice surprise for her too. To my astonishment, she remembered me immediately and even recalled my name! I was really impressed, and, of course, I gave her a quick summary of what happened to me since I left her classroom. I must say, my teacher looked great! It’s been about 15 years and she looks exactly the same as I had remembered her. She complimented me on my look and my outfit, which made me feel more confident. I guess as someone who only remembers me as an 8-year-old, I have made some improvements.

I haven’t been back to this city in about five years, and I remember it being really dull and boring as there are no tourist attractions or events. I was astonished to see the developments and vast changes that this harbor city has gone through since my last visit. I was most fascinated with the emigration museum that was established right by the harbor. Many decades ago, millions of Europeans left their homeland for a better life in America and this was the city where the immigrants said their final goodbyes to their loved ones. The museum was so well made, including wax figures, special effects, and the overall atmosphere felt like I was traveling back in time. I tried to blend in with these wax figures as my parents took pictures, but my modern outfit stood out too much. People back then wore dark colors, long dull skirts, and scarves on their heads. I even wore a grey sweater that I had with me to blend in, but my wavy hair didn’t match the styles of any of the other figures. On top of that, no one back in the day was wearing jeans.

The museum was fascinating; it was as if I stepped into another world. Despite my poor attempt to blend in with the figures, it really felt like I was one of the many individuals who sought a better life in the New World. I learned today that a few of my ancestors migrated to America in the mid 19th Century. Perhaps I do have family in the United States after all! Wouldn’t that be interesting to explore?

Love always,
Mia