Born and grown up in Kiel, a city located directly on the Baltic Sea, she studied Computer Science.
After finishing her studies at the age of 27, Franziska started to look for a job where she could save money for her planned world trip. Through a company in Kiel she got an offer to move to Switzerland as part of a partner project. And thus she relocated to Hinwil ZH in 2011. Even though she later left for her world trip, she was hooked by Switzerland and returned in 2015.
She still has a strong connection to her friends and family in Kiel and as such can give us advice on what to check out there.
- Typical food you would advise people to try: All meals including fish are popular due to the city’s proximity to the sea, but also everything made from potatoes: boiled potatoes, chips, potato mash. However, to mention one concrete meal: Labskaus – with ingredients like salted meat or corned beef, potatoes, and onion. Some recipes put beetroot, pickled gherkin, or even herring into it.
- Typical drink: Local beer, of course! One of the most famous breweries in Northern Germany is located close by and called Flensburger Brauerei.
- The most beautiful place: Lübeck is a cute city near Kiel and is famous because of a building called Holstentor. The city has many buildings originating from the trade union time (the “Hanse”). Lübeck is also very famous for its marzipan.
- Most famous sight: The Kiel Week is an event that takes place in the last full week of June and is the world’s biggest sailing event. Typically, the weather is good for sailing but bad for watching: Very windy and most likely rainy.
- Most commonly used greeting in the local language: “Moin” – although it sounds as if it was related to the German word “Morgen” (Good morning), it does not originate from German. It means beautiful or good and has its roots in the Dutch language. You reply by saying it twice, like “Moin Moin”.
- A famous personality from your country: Angelique Kerber, a German professional tennis player. A former world No. 1 and winner of three Grand Slam tournaments rose to prominence upon reaching the semifinals of the 2011 US Open as the No. 92-ranked player in the world. Also, Max Planck, the famous physicist, was born in Kiel.
- Typical dessert: Rumkugel, a truffle-like confectionery cake made with cookie butter flavoured with chocolate and rum. Very heavy but even more delicious!
- The recommended way of transport: Cycling is popular because the area around Kiel is rather flat. For example, cycling along the Kiel Canal, the world’s busiest artificial waterway, is simply stunning! Another way to explore Northern Germany is by canoe due to the abundance of lakes and rivers.
