Howdy y'all!
To think that I almost declined this trip before fully committing, I am so glad that I got over myself to come here to Germany and have some of the most richest experiences in only the first week. And, I am glad to share some of those moments of spontaneous adventure with you all. As the first week comes to an end, I feel a sense of accomplishment for the times I chose to be present and learn and experience.
My host family is basically a single grandmother (but seems to be also quite young to be a grandmother; probably on the later middle age side). Her name is Astrid and she makes good tomato soup. Her son Leon, his wife, and their newborn daughter are visiting for a Quidditch match in Bonn (which I went to watch. It is funny to be an outsider and watching people run around with sticks between their legs). Astrid has two poodles, Lando and Jamie. Lando gets in trouble a lot, but we hang out in the back of the car when we go to visit the horse. The horse's name is Gatchio and he is a spunky boy. Gatchio and I went on a walk, and he made me miss my horse. Astrid said I could ride him one day, which I hope I can. I imagine riding a horse in Germany by myself; that is dream quality right there.
A challenge I have been experiencing is anxiety about senior year. This is my last year, and I want it to be the best one yet, and it is clouding some of my joy on this trip. This is my "last hurrah" study abroad, and I want it to go perfectly! I need to lose that perfectionist feeling, and be forgiving of myself when I feel anxious.
My favorite, enjoyable time of this week is walking in the countryside with Gatchio. He makes me feel at home and excited to pursue goals with my own horse. The German countryside is beautiful; wheat, sunflowers, strawberries, and forest spread out along the hills. I also have been joyful and complacent in Noderney: getting to experience a European vacation. I wish relaxation was a medical prescription in the United States!
I have been growing my "international and personable expertise" this trip. I want to interact with people, even amidst barriers (cultural, linguistic, personality, etc.). I feel happy and proud of myself when I make my host mother laugh, when I have a discussion with a chef at a restaurant, when I wave a child and she waves at me back. I am learning how to read the situation with others in a different environment and country: sidestepping a creepy man on the bus who wants my number (you do not need that, sir) or joining a German BBQ to make conversation with other Germans on the fourth of July (I do think my ancestor who fought in WW2 would find that comical). I think the weirdest moment is when a waitress thanked me for speaking English (lol)!
Thanks for reading,
Anna Beth
Howdy, Anna Beth! I feel like I can really relate to the heavy feeling of trying to make senior year the best one yet and wanting everything to go perfectly. I too almost declined this trip but with this upcoming fall semester being my last at A&M I thought, "if not now, then when?" It is hard to balance things as we have been doing and maintaining responsibility for our studies while trying to have the picture-perfect study abroad experience. I hope that time and realizing that not everything will ever go exactly according to plan will help us as we progress through the program :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you get to have this experience of having a horse to explore Germany with. That is just so prefect! I definitely understand the anxiety of your last year of college coming up on you. I myself don't quite know how to deal with this as well, but I do know it is important to live in the moment and not worry about being perfect.
ReplyDeleteI am glad that in a new country, you can still find a connection through your passion for horses, and that it can help you better understand the culture in some way. We will be able to interact with others and learn basic phrases to get by. Just keep hanging and wanting to learn, and you will be on your way!
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