My apartment is in a fairly convenient location in Mannheim. It's within the city center (the grid) which allows me the luxury of being able to walk most places. It particularly convenient for going to class and grocery shopping, but the most interesting thing about where I live is the fact that I am located in the ""Little Istanbul" section of the city.
Living in this section has most definitely proved interesting. Its easy to forget that I am living in Germany because very little German is actually spoken in this section. Instead Turkish can be heard throughout the streets. In many ways, however, this is still an accurate representation of Mannheim. There is a huge Turkish population, and they have had a large influence on the city. Take for example the food. As I had mentioned earlier, I ate my first of many Doners the day I arrived. While Doners are not a traditional German food, they are very abundant in Mannheim because the Turkish people brought them here. Overall, I think living in Little Istanbul has added to my cultural experience.
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