Zuhause (Home)

I bet you would have read my blog notification with a smirk and said, “My God, now where did this girl travel to? How does she find the time?” I am right here, in Paderborn! While traveling the world we often forget to appreciate home. Today and in the next few posts I talk about Paderborn, where I have seen seasons change, people walk in and out of my life and the pandemic cripple the world. While the world begs for another chance to enjoy the power of “touch”, there is a town that silently touched my heart, and within a year it became my home.. mein Zuhause!

I left for Germany one year back and on the same day I got a confirmation that nobody from my family will be in the same continent as me; even as I embarked on one of the most challenging journeys in my life! As difficult as it was for me to digest that, it urged me to consider myself as my family too! This is a world I have created for myself, thousands of miles away from the people I love; a world none of them have seen (yet).

I was fortunate that I got a chance to spend some months in Paderborn (in 2019) before I moved for a longer time. I didn’t love it initially, but I anyway don’t believe in love at first sight. Love is a slow process; to find someone or someplace and to love them with all their flaws takes time, effort and commitment! Having spent a year here, I am now in complete awe of this little town!

The first few months were very challenging. Having lived in crowded metropolitan cities all my life, I needed time to get used to the quiet town life. I often wondered if spending my twenties in such an uneventful place would be the best use of my time. To top it all, we were working from home so I literally traveled to another continent to sit at home and work! The question, “What am I doing here?” crossed my mind several times until I decided to “trust the process” (something my sister always says).

Back then I lived near the river Pader, away from the town and market. Living near nature gave me a chance to enjoy Spring, and I spent most of my evenings stargazing. It was surreal, but I had to get real! Living away from the town is great, till you’re suddenly out of groceries or you’re craving pizza and they take ages to deliver it! After an eventful apartment hunting process, I finally got an apartment I liked, in the town but also close to nature.

River Pader and the onset of Spring

Moving into a new apartment really changed things for me. I had always lived in a hostel and never rented an apartment for myself, so this was a whole new territory for me! At one point, my chats with my sister were all home decor ideas from Pinterest. Soon I got comfortable enough to enjoy the little things: an evening walk, the farmers market, the morning bakery runs and garam chai in my balcony on a sunny Summer morning! I live right across the park Paderquellgebiet (area of Pader’s sources) so there is now a cozy corner where I sit reading books, listening to songs or just watching seasons pass by.

Summer sunshine, fall palette and winter gloom in Paderquellgebiet

I am beginning to understand why Paderborn feels like home, it taught me the difference between being alone and lonely! It is the silence before the storm (I may or may not be calling my life with my future husband a storm :P). On a serious note, it stealthily crawled into my heart and became my muse! I no longer travel to escape it, but to fill my book of memories with new experiences. I hope I make the most of this experience, because who knows when I’ll get to experience the European countryside again!

View from Home and Paderquellgebiet

I have blabbered on but I’ve only written about my neighborhood and my home (yet). There’s more to Paderborn than this, and there’s so much more I want to say. Please stay tuned, for it would be my privilege to show you Paderborn for what it truly is: a beautiful town that playfully dances alongside the shortest river in Germany, Pader!