A fond farewell to Heidelberg

I feel like I’m discrediting Heidelberg when I say I didn’t specifically choose it as my year abroad destination. To tell the truth, after deciding I wanted to study in Germany, I realised it was my only option in conjunction with my Biological Sciences degree. Language was something I had always adored at school, and I was determined to combine my German A-Level with my studies at Imperial. It was a chance to not only indulge in a new culture, but witness first-hand the benefits of sustaining international relations, something so important in a world of collaborative science.       

Heidelberg itself is a city of around 150,000 people in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg. I fell in love with this place in the Neckar Valley where science and the arts exist so cohesively. But perhaps this is not surprising, and I am simply following in the footsteps of professors and poets alike who relished its romantic setting. Take the Philosophenweg or “Philosopher’s path” for example, where writers and poets have spent many an hour reflecting on the trials and tribulations of life, not to mention the student population. Heidelberg University is the oldest in Germany, dating back to 1386, and I feel proud to have been a member of its renowned international community.  

The stanzas that follow are somewhat of a diary entry – or perhaps a love letter addressed directly to the individual moments, the people that collectively wrote the pages of my Heidelberg story (combined with a little humour). Through my poem, laced with a couple German words for good measure, I hope to encourage and inspire the next generation of Imperial undergraduates to take the leap that is studying abroad. I’d be lying if I said it was plain sailing in its entirety but trust me when I say it is the challenges and rollercoaster journey of emotions for which you will be eternally grateful. The experiences you face will be uniquely yours and that, I feel, is a beautiful thing. My year in Heidelberg was a time of immense personal growth, and I built relationships and made memories I will treasure for the rest of my life. Most importantly, it’s left me excited and motivated to start writing the next chapter – alongside a cup of coffee and slice of cake, of course. 

Ciao, for now 

By Phoebe Iacono

When generations pose a question,
Of the place with incomparable fame, 
It will take but a second to remember,
Heidelberg, yes that was the name.

The sweeping slopes of the Neckar valley, 
Romanticism mirroring that of Rome,
Perhaps someday I too will write a poem,
For this place holds the potential of home.

Once again science befriends the arts,
A coincidence? To this day no one knows,
Sacred memories born from a language,
Time was the enemy, and so it goes.

Picnics at dusk on the Wiese,
A hunger games, humans vs geese,
The battle would last but for a moment,
And the world would soon be at peace.

The comfort of Kaffee und Kuchen,
A habit everyone could foresee,
Gone are the days of a digestive biscuit,
With a home brewed cuppa tea.

The post-hike hunger desperation,
Yet I could feel it inside my gut,
It was in fact a Sunday,
The door to Aldi was shut.

Stampede of a Hauptstraße,
Impossible to step back in time,
Silent shadows post the invite,
But first, just a gentle climb.

A Schloss, gatekeeper of the past,
Delivering an unthinkable view,
The sun sets on this tranquil city,
Perhaps fairytales really do come true.

Liebe Leute, whose paths crossed with mine,
For each of you played a unique part,
Lessons learned, friendships ignited,
Lasting snowflakes imprinted on my heart.

Goodbyes will one day expire,
For my soul can only allow,
Not a tschüssi, auf Wiedersehen,
Sondern bis bald, ciao for now.

To think I never knew,
That such a place was to be,
Beg forgiveness for the ignorance,
It now holds a part of me.

The future remains uncertain,
Yet one thing I know for sure,
Ich hab mein Herz verloren,
In Heidelberg, forevermore.