Monday Night at O'Reilly's

Heidelberg is known for, among many other things, its American Army base and the English-only speakers that come with it. It makes sense, then, that there are bars that cater to the native English speakers. Monday night, after my first day of class, some of my classmates and I met up at 9 o'clock at the largest city tram station, Bismarkplatz, and walked to O'Reilly's, an Irish pub catering to American military personnel and students. Our group was led by a French 20-something who has been in our program for a while (most of us started the same day, but some of the European students have been here longer). Her name's Matilde and she knows the city well. We, the group, walked the bridge over the Neckar River that cuts through the city (see below).

We turned the corner and walked into the pub, and into the backroom where about 25 Americans were drinking in front of a projected screen, watching a college lacrosse game: Maryland vs. somebody. Since it was ESPN, from America, I guess that was the only game on at 2 pm Eastern. I had my favorite style German beer (Hefeweisen) in my first German bar and my classmates and I proceeded to play a trilingual game of pool (not everyone is from America, not everyone speaks English, English is not spoken in the classroom without permission, and my teacher speaks French to the French students to clarify). Afterwards, we moved to the patio and talked over beer. To my right were the Italian speakers from Switzerland, between them and me were the French speakers, to my left was the only other native speaker, an Englishman, who thinks American college students are dumb for their resurgent interest in Pokémon. All in all, I had a night I will remember for a long time; it was pretty international and junk.

The Neckar River, shortly before nightfall.

Bier!