I can not believe it has already been 7 months I have been living in Germany. To me, thinking about it just makes me sad. I can not get over that in another 5 months I will be already back in the United States, getting ready to apply for college and working out my SATs. Just the thought of that makes me nostalgic. Nostalgic on the culture that has embraced me, nostalgic for the friends that I will miss deeply and for the adventures that will be just memories. But, with another 5 months to come I can also be thinking on the positives. What is to come next in my adventure in Germany? Well, that is something that I am willing to find out.. With nice weather, a positive attitude, and friends... the next few months will be wonderful, and probably some of the best memories of my life will be made.
As I live in Germany longer it is easy to see how there can be positive and negatives in every culture.. and how every land has there problems. But, with that comes the understanding that perhaps how I once viewed America is not how it is always how I will understand it. I can remember before coming to Germany being very pessimistic while regarding some of the regulations or laws that our government had in place... or what it did not have in place, not helping to prevent unsafe situations or give certain people those certain rights they deserve. But now I can see myself better understanding how the United States, for a lot of reasons, is a very, very open land and one that when living in another country I realize is deeply misunderstood. In English class this year I have heard some of the most outrageous things; like in America we are called a melting pot because we melt away the culture of every person that comes to be an American. Sure, maybe I can see how people could get that impression, but really I do not see it at all. I feel that our land is really the land where everyone is American, despite their background... each of us have a family history and the family history did not begin in America... making us truly an integrated land. Sure, I could say lots and lots of things to contradict my statements but, as a whole I think that in some ways America should be given a little bit more credit...
Each day I have lived in Germany I begin to understand a little more why the Germans to the things that they do. Each thing, from opening the window each morning, to how they talk about politics can really be linked to their past.. and can in some ways predict the outcome of their future. Why do they open the windows every day you may ask? Because, airing out the house, is a very healthy thing to do. All the bad smells, and all the bad bacteria goes out.. So make sure after you are sick or just after a good night sleep, a person needs to a get a move on that!
So, it´s been a few months after all... what else do I possibly have to say? I think that this year has changed me. Perhaps I am just thinking too much of myself but I think in some ways it has.. And in many ways I believe I now better know myself and what frustrates me better than ever... I also know how to really cherish what I love. I realize now how lucky I am for my family, for my friends, and for the location of where I was brought up.. It is also in this point in time where I realize the different values and ideas that growing up in such a liberal, (yup! the l word!), taught me. Living in this new place, tests a lot of skills. But it also allows a person to break free of all the misconceptions and allow a person to be who they are to be. And make the friends who are going to last a lifetime.. but moral and values will always be something I carry with me throughout my life. Yes, my parents have taught me well. I have also realized that a person always, I mean always, really needs to have some sort of positive attitude on how things will play out. Perhaps, sit down and relax. For those of you are out there who know me... well, sometimes I stress out, and when I mean stress out... I do it a little too much. Each day I am here I just need to learn well... the world rolls on as it rolls on and most of the time (shrugs) I can´t really change what is going to happen. So I might as well not worry and just enjoy life (carpe diem!)
I have always found in interesting to be living in a family that is not really, your own family to say (now you all must realize I am not saying I have any problem with that... I love my host families, they are loving and amazing people but I am just musing on thoughts). Whenever I move into a new host family it takes a while to understand what a person can do to be most helpful, and how a person balances school, family and friends.. Kind of like home just a little bit different. And a lot of the time it dawns on me how deeply grateful I am to each host family that has hosted me. Not every person has to host and the fact that they are willing to allow someone to see them at their bests, their worst, and their everyday lives is something I will never be able to truly say thank you for. Sure, I can try, those occasional thank you´s! or that meant so much to me! But, I don´t think I can every really tell them, from the bottom of my heart how wonderful it is they do that. The same goes for friends here.. Starting of in a country, alone without anyone to know friends are some of the most important aspects. And having the best of friends ? How do you thank them for being there for you in even the most frustrating of situations? (funny or just hmm.. drat)
So plans for the future at the moment? Studying in Germany? Perhaps may be a must. But let´s just see first how everything goes (=
So updates in my normal life:
- I will be switching host families for the 4th time in two weeks.
- School is becoming so hectic and I am like whaaaaaat! But, everything will work out!
- There is something called Penneball this weekend that is orginized from my class so I get to go there, help set up and do all this fun stuff! I am so stoked!
- IT IS SPRING WEATHER AND I GET TO WEAR FLIP FLOPS. jealous? I thought so (=
- I am going to try to blog more!
Greetings from Overseas (=
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