Können wir zurück?

According to the study abroad website, most people experience a reverse culture shock upon returning back to the States. It’s described as being an equally as emotional time as when we left for our trip. It was definitely weird the first few days, however, I felt like I picked up exactly where I left off before the trip. Nothing had changed at home and I barely had any time to relax before my busy schedule picked up again in College Station. I think being extremely busy made for an easier transition, but all in all, I was pleasantly surprised about adjusting back to my life back in the States.

Towards the end of our four month adventure, despite how much fun it was, I could not wait to get back home. I missed my family, my friends, life in College Station, driving, independence, and much more. But, of course, now that I’m back, I miss Bonn so much (especially the cold weather)! It feels like a dream or something when I look back at all my pictures. It was such a surreal experience and I’ve really enjoyed telling everybody about my excursions and life in Bonn. But at the same time, it’s frustrating because most people will never fully understand how it feels to live with a host family in a foreign country for an extended amount of time. I’m glad I still stay in contact with friends who went on the trip and we can reminisce together. Regardless, I will be telling stories to people from my semester for a long time to come.

My expectations for the trip were absolutely met. There were parts of it I wasn’t quite prepared for (nor could have been prepared for), but overall, I have no complaints. I feel like I’ve become a better-rounded person because of this trip. Socially, I have already found that travelling is a great way to connect with people and opens up numerous opportunities for developing relationships. It’s fun to share experiences with people who have been to places I have. Academically, I feel like I gained knowledge I would have never been able to in Texas. It was literally an out-of-classroom experience that provided real-world applications. I’m also a more confidant person in my abilities to basically manage on my own, whether through navigating, planning trips, or just adapting to changes. Culturally, I learned more German than I realized, was exposed to a lot of new foods, met some of the nicest (and most interesting) people, and learned a lot about European history and the history of medicine. My aspirations of entering the veterinary field are still strong and although there were not as many veterinary medicine aspects as I would have liked, it did not discourage my goals.

If I could financially afford to go back, I would in a heartbeat. I made some life-long friendships and definitely caught the travel bug. I would love to go back and explore northern parts of Europe and maybe one day, revisit the major cities I went too. But in the meantime, I’m content with having tons of fun this summer and enjoying my last month as an undergraduate at A&M!