Amerika in a social studies class

Rammstein entered my life in a social studies class, when the teacher played the video for “Amerika.” I’m not sure how smitten I got with Till, the song, and the staging, but that same day I went home and started digging into the band’s discography and history. They’ve been with me through my whole adolescence and still are: they sit at the top of my playlists, and I recommend them to anyone who’ll listen.

I’ve never seen them live — when they came to Colombia I was too young — but this year I’m traveling alone to Barcelona to see them for the first time. The moment the tour was confirmed, it drove me a little crazy: I already have the ticket, and I’m going with nerves, excitement, and eyelashes ready to get singed by the show.

I don’t own much band merch, just a pin and a sticker a friend gave me, but that doesn’t measure what I feel. Since this will be my first solo trip abroad, and just to see them, I already know I’m getting something tattooed to mark that day — I don’t know what yet, but I’ll figure it out soon.