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My time abroad has come to an end. It felt incredibly short and long at the same time. I feel that I have grown and changed from my experience abroad, and there are many things I want to discuss.
I noticed that my ethnicity mattered very little to the people around me in Germany. The fact I was an American mattered much more than anything else. There were people who joked about my lack of geographical knowledge of Europe (which was admittedly true) along with asking me what state/city I was from and how I liked Germany compared to the United States.
In my first blog, I laid out a few goals that I wanted to accomplish during my stay in Germany. I feel I have gained a level of understanding in German, albeit to an incredibly basic level. I want to continue improving it, even now that I am back in the United States to become at least conversational and be able to read books in German.
I also had the goal of becoming more organized and punctual, and I feel I have become that. The amount of paperwork that needed to be done to properly attend the university was intense. From getting registered at the town hall to the many necessary papers and permits, there was a lot that needed to be done. I feel I am better at doing things in a timely manner due to this large amount of paperwork, along with having to make appointments across the few months I was in Germany. However, it is a skill that I could still improve on as I sometimes forget to do things at a certain time or am late on assignments.
There are many memories from Germany that linger with me, even now that I am back home. Primarily, the interactions I had with people during my stay, running into a variety of people from young to old. I had a conversation with a few school children at a store, and while their English was not very good, they were excited to use their English skills because I was the first American they had ever spoken to in their lives. It was a bit strange for my nationality to be seen as a “unique” attribute, but it was a fun experience to have and to be on the other side of the conversation as the "foreigner".
If I were to give any advice to my past self, it would be to learn more German. While most people spoke English, some great English, there were others who struggled to speak with me and I hope next time I visit I will speak to them in their native language. Also, I wish I had done more research on the paperwork I needed while staying in Germany. I had the most important documents that I would need to stay, but I feel I could have made it a smoother experience for myself.
In the end, my time in Germany was an incredible experience, and I am immensely grateful that I was able to study for six months. Hopefully, I have the chance to go back again, and for anyone who has this opportunity themselves, they should take it and experience it for themselves.
