First Impressions

Constantia, Constance, Konstanz. The little city of 90,000 that lies on the Bodensee, divided by the Rhine, and sandwiched between Germany and Switzerland has been called by many names over the years. After only a few days here, however, it is impossible to call it anything other than Konshtansh, as it is pronounced in the sometimes too strong accent of its mostly Swabian population. Just like every freshman from outside the Pioneer Valey gradually picks up the unexpectedly silent 'h' in the name of UMass Am'erst, a new Konstanzer subconsciously picks up this affectionate name for his favorite German town.

And it is the favorite town of everyone international student who lives here. That is probably selection bias; after all, for many it is the first city he sees in Germany without having to stress about getting through customs, catching 2 trains and a bus, and exposing his not-yet-confident Deutsch to the disdainful scrutiny of the Starb

ucks barista. But it is also more than that. I think it has something to do with how small and comfortable Konstanz is. Every German city has a history that North Americans, for whom 1776 is the distant past and a house from 1900 is ancient, can not help but be mystified by. We are thrilled to wander through the cozy cobble-stoned streets and alleys, to0 narrow for an SUV, and know that around any corner we might bump into a coffee shop that housed Goethe on his summer holidays in 1785. In Konstanz, those tiny epiphanies and the overall sense of aesthetic awe one gets in the presence of truly beautiful architecture are concentrated into an Altstadt ('Old City') that can be walked around in half an hour, but has enough labyrinthine curves to allow for weeks, even months, of new discoveries.

Do not think, however, that Konstanz am Bodensee is a museum of hermetically preserved curiosities with no life. The University proves that impression wrong in an instant. Founded in 1966, it moved to the main campus in 1972, and it remains there until this day. In this case, campus is something of a misleading word. Do not expect to admire the ivy that climbs over the cultured brick buildings as you lounge on the quad. The UniKonstanz campus is primarily composed of one building, a concrete monstrosity that comprises smaller, internal buildings for every layer of the alphabet, barring 'I', 'N', and 'Q', because the system wasn't complicated enough. Everything is decorated in primary colors, and it's not uncommon to stumble around a corner and find yourself standing in front of a multi-colored affront to human sensibility. It's beautiful.

I mean that, too. Despite and because of its idiosyncracy, it's obviously drug-inspired architecture, and its total disregard for form, style, or navigability, almost anyone you ask will grudgingly express their affection if pressed. When you factor in the often world-renowned faculty, the incredible location in easy view of one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, and the library, which is currently closed due to asbestos, but will be open by next year and is the largest and most lauded in all of Germany, I can only give the heartiest recommendations to any student who might decide to study in Konstanz.