I decided to write about the land of my heart, my home. Just east of the Swartzwald or “Black Forrest”, you can’t get anymore authentic German living. Tuttlingen is a quaint city in the south of Germany. The place captivated me in one visit. One month and I felt home for the first time in my life. I grew up as a nomad; we have gypsy blood in our veins, we Sheets’. I never lived in one house for more than a couple of years. So when I first set foot on German soil, I knew I was home. I knew that this was where I was supposed to be. This is a very earth shaking experience for one of only 18 years. The feeling that at this moment I belong is so strong that you never want to let it go. Again to be only 18 and feel like I found my niche` is something I hope I’ll have again someday.All of my experiences following that moment were ones to treasure. I fell in love.Everyday was an adventure for me. My eyes were opened to things no one I knew had ever seen. Germany in the heart of summer is something I wish everyone could see. I’ll never forget strolling through the park near our school and looking at all of the amazingly abstract new art. All along the paths were objects that seemed to make no sense. It was as if they were erected to say “I’m just here to be here”. I later found out that each piece had a specific significance to the town, historical and otherwise. Running through part of the park was the famous Danube River. The color of the water closely resembles that of Washington’s own Green River. However the Danube is much slower and languid looking. On hot days all of us touristy kids would walk along the banks of the river to the local swimming park. This was heaven.Tuwass was the name of our playground. It sat on top of a mineral spring and operated all day long. We would go and just drift in the pools for hours. It was nearly impossible to do much else. The rising spring water bubbled and fizzed giving you the feeling of being inside a glass of Alka-Seltzer. This was one of the most relaxing past times I have ever partaken in. Floating with the water effervescing all around me, I would stare into the sun and contemplate… nothing. For the first time ever I was able to close my eyes and just be. I felt so connected to the world around me that I forgot everything else. Except the Honnberg.The final stop on our day of carousing usually led us to the top of a Berg or small mountain named Honnberg. Honnberg Sommer is a great festival held every summer. It is somewhat akin to the small town festivals we have here in the states. The key difference is that national musical acts perform live concerts nightly on the Berg. To a rowdy group of teens exploring they’re newfound independence, there is no place better. The main mode of transportation up the hill is your own two feet. The festivities usually started at the bottom with a meeting of friends. On the journey up you never knew who you would meet and the friends you would make. The giant beer hall-like tents at the top were the main source of entertainment. Inexperienced young ones such as us could spend an entire night on one sturdy glass of brew. The end of the night was the most interesting in my memory. The walk down the mountain and the view of the city are things that will forever be etched into my mind and heart.
