...your local grocery store starts stocking bratwurst buns in the German flag colors.

World Cup season is upon us!! I know it's not important in America, but here, this thing is like 1000x bigger than the Superbowl. It's like if the Superbowl lasted a whole month and also your entire country was cheering for the same team.

I always end up in Germany during the world cup. Eight years ago, I was wondering (empty) streets of Hamburg during a game. Four years ago, I was in Hannover the week after Germany was crowned the champion. And here we are again. Before I applied to the IES program, I joked to my friends that I had to find some way to get to Germany. I go during the World Cup, after all! I had decided years ago that I would get to Germany the summer after my junior year.

And it happened, somehow. I didn't really believe it could, but here we are. In Germany during the World Cup. This is one tradition I hope to keep up with for quite some time. :)