Hallo!
It's less than one week out from our departure and I'm finding it hard to believe that by this time next week, I'll be just starting my journey in Germany. When picking a study abroad I first looked at Spain, due to my Spanish minor, but stumbled upon this program in my email. It seemed like a long time coming for me to revisit the country where I spent my first five years, so of course I applied.
Having spent so many years of my life abroad, I'm most excited to learn about German culture and immerse myself in a new environment. I've always felt that there are so many things to learn from other cultures and so many lessons to take to heart. I'm looking forward to seeing how this study abroad will shape me even more as an adult. I'm excited for all of the food I will try as well, since food is most often at the very center of a country's culture and leads to so much insight on the people of that country.
Perhaps the most challenging thing I'm expecting is living with a host family and feeling comfortable. I know I'll have to step out of my comfort zone from the get-go since I can be introverted at first meeting, but I'm willing to accept this challenge. I don't want to feel like I'm doing something wrong or invading a person's space, but I think this can be easy to get over.
I know that there are a lot of stereotypes for Americans, so I hope not to live up to most of them. Being obnoxious or disrespectful is a common stereotype, which is something I'd hate to be associated with. I would like to show people how much I respect other cultures and I hope they'll find me to be someone who's down for anything. Since I'm in a lot of social organizations at A&M, I think it surprises most people when I tell them that I'm actually not a huge extrovert! There's nothing I love more than a comfy night in but I want to show people that I love doing both!
As much as I'm excited for this experience, I'm definitely nervous for all the discomfort I'll face when I'm getting into the rhythm at the beginning. I'm looking forward to both the knowledge I'll gain from the lectures of the program itself and all the life experiences from everyday moments. See you in Germany!
-Olivia
Hallo! I think that this trip is extra special for you as someone who spent part of their childhood in Germany. Almost like getting to reconnect with that part of yourself :-). For most of us this trip will be a before and after in our growth as people, I already know it! I'm right there with you when it comes to your concerns with living with a host family and feeling like you're invading their space. Hopefully with time we'll be able to adapt.
ReplyDeleteHello! I am feeling the same way about living with our host families. My hope is they have done this before, so as long as we follow their lead and stay respectful, it's going to go well! Also, I totally agree about the food. Different place's food and eating culture is so interesting and inciteful, and I am very excited to experience it all. See you there!
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