Rayna M. Castner.
If you have a passion for cooking, come to Europe. While the international markets in Cookeville have a lot to offer, it is nothing compared to the actual samples to discover in Europe.
I'm studying Engineering and Business at the University of Applied Sciences Wurzburg-Schweinfurt in Germany, through the TTU study abroad program. And after my year here, the suitcase I'm bringing home will be crammed with cheeses from Amsterdam, chocolate from Belgium, pastas and oils from Italy, meat from Germany, and sweets from France.
I am a picky eater, but in Europe there is no such thing. I do miss a few American products like chocolate chips and vanilla extract, but there are many better options here.
These options are also cheaper. Two weeks’ worth of groceries cost less than 60€. That's including meat, cheese, veggies, fruits, and even a store-bought dessert for the week.
The University of Applied Sciences Wurzburg-Schweinfurt is filled with students from around the world.
I have learned from my friends how to make Chinese dumplings and stir fry, Ukraine fish casserole, and German Christmas cake.
The school offers events for students to share their cultures and stories. I have gotten to show my fellow students how to make chocolate chip cookies and southern buttermilk biscuits. The look on their faces when they try them is absolutely amazing.
And because there are so many international students at this university, there is no need to know any German as almost everyone in the school speaks English. German-speaking classes are helpful when it comes to shopping at the local stores and farmers markets.
My first few months in Schwienfurt, Germany, were difficult because I didn’t know anyone and my room didn’t have an oven.
So, I made an oven using the eye of the stove, a small pot and lid I had brought with me. I used tin foil from the store to make a dish and a platform for it to sit on so I could make meals until I got a toaster oven a couple months later.
I made friends with the students in my building who had three people in each apartment with a full kitchen.
We cooked and studied together while learning about one another’s culture.
If you have any questions about my journey in Europe so far or any recipes I have acquired please feel free to email me at rmcastner42@students.tntech.edu
