Thursday, July 2, 2009

EMILY: Final Thoughts

As our time in Germany is waning and the hectic rush of trying to get our suitcases to close once more begins, a lot has been going through my mind.  In these three weeks I've learned many things, built upon the things I already knew, and has some experiences which will stay with me forever.

Magdeburg 2009 004

(Shared experiences—dinner on the Elbe—Fridja from Indonesia, Jennifer, Andrew, Amber and Emily)

I'm not the type to be overly sentimental.  I don't cry at airports or at the end of a school year, but in these three short weeks I feel like the seven of us have bonded.  On my previous study abroad trip there were forty students and while we became semi close I talk to only two of them now and even that is sparse.  But, us seven USC Upstate students have shared rooms, bathrooms, food, and more together, melding into one unit.  We have had instances where the words to complete a sentence were easily offered by another and we've formulated an abundance of inside jokes that will be sure to follow us as we cross paths between HPAC and SMTH. 

Magdeburg 2009 296

(Melding into one unit……..)

I've seen myself get better at German.  Oh, the butterflies are still there, the fear that I won't be understood or that I won't understand is still pretty prevalent, but with the constant exposure I've grown.  I can order at a restaurant, complete minor transactions when buying souvenirs, and exchange pleasantries with a passerby on the street.  I have even managed to hold a few small conversations with various people, such as the elderly man in the elevator.  I can read signs and know what they say, and I've learned a bevy of new words, more than I would looking at a dictionary.

And the culture here, the culture in Germany is so different from that at home.  Not quite culture shock different, but different nonetheless.  Bikes are a way of life and scarves are a must if you want to leave your home.  Ice cream (Eis) is available anytime, anywhere, and the concoctions which arrive when you order are amazingly ornate.  The cities come alive at night and there is this laid back sort of atmosphere everywhere.  Also, the fact that the trains are punctual is beyond me.

I don't feel like I've been here for over three weeks.  The days have seemed to fly together, meshing into one enormous adventure.  Night being so short here they are barely separated by sleep, and even the monotony of class is spiced up with daily excursions into a city that is still vastly unknown to us.

Germany 2009, whether in photos or shared jokes across the green, will be instilled in my mind for a long time to come.

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