by McKenna Hillman ’25

The Osterdeich during sunset (photo taken by Dickinson in Bremen volunteer Ege)!

If there is anything I miss about Bremen after returning to the US, it has to be the Osterdeich. Of course, there are other things to miss, but it’s hard to beat an evening stroll along the Weser, dodging cyclists and sharing a quiet moment on a bench with a stranger. I was lucky enough to live on the edge of the Viertel, just a few minutes’ walk away from the Osterdeich—a distance I never hesitated to take advantage of.

My roommate, a public health student who shared my penchant for arts and crafts, first showed me the Osterdeich at night on a freezing February evening. I can no longer remember why we were up so late, but her suggestion of a short walk to see the moon over the Weser was enticing enough to brave the cold. We talked about preferring morning or evening (a topic we disagreed on), and I described the trials and tribulations of my German language intensive courses (anecdotes that she was equal parts bewildered and amused by). The moon was bright enough that the lack of streetlights on the path closest to the river wasn’t a problem. Looking back on it, I wish I had taken a photo or two to share, but I’m happy to say I was too caught up in the moment to think of it. It wasn’t the first time I forgot to photograph a special moment from my life in Bremen, and it certainly would not be the last.

Close to the Weserstadion (photo taken by DiB volunteer Ege)!

Chilly March rains largely kept me away from the Osterdeich, for the most part. April, however, brought warmer weather, and with the warmer weather came crowds. The weather was its own incentive to be outside, but as an avid people watcher, the crowds presented their own form of entertainment for solitary walks in the early afternoon. Picnics, games, family outings, there were so many different people to observe. There’s a large hill behind the Kunsthalle, across the road from the Osterdeich, with a great view of the Weser and a few benches to sit on. I vividly remember an afternoon spent on one of those benches eavesdropping on conversations about politics and watching kids dodge each other on their bikes. I, myself, had my fair share of Osterdeich gatherings, both with Bremen natives and with students from Dickinson and Uni Bremen.

I can’t say leaving Bremen was easy for me, but I will always remember my final evening stroll through the Osterdeich—the city skyline standing out against a brilliantly pink sunset was the best goodbye I could have gotten. I’m counting down the days until I’m able to go back and visit.