Here We Go

There are numerous experiences I’m looking forward to having while studying abroad this upcoming semester. I would say that most of the experiences I’m looking forward to are the relationships I’ll build with others while in Germany. I hope that through my relationship with my host mom I will learn firsthand about the German culture and what it’s been like for her to grow up in Germany. I would hope that this might be the best way for me to learn the German language, as well. I know it will be difficult to adjust at first, but hopefully that initial feeling of culture shock won’t be detrimental to enjoying my first moments in a new country. I was an exchange student for 3 weeks in Paraguay a few years ago, and I remember feeling like the language barrier was the most overwhelming to experience in the beginning. My hope is that I won’t let this intimidate me upon first arriving, even though I know far less German than I do Spanish. 

I’m also looking forward to the relationships I’ll build with the students on the trip with me. I’ll be with the students in biomedical engineering until I graduate, but that’s not the case for the BIMS students traveling as well. I hope that I will use this opportunity to get to know the students that are not in my major.  

I’ve wanted to go on this trip since I first heard about it my freshman year. The idea of being able to experience another culture, and still be involved in my studies, was exciting to me. I don’t think I’ll get to experience something like this once I graduate, and I wanted to take this opportunity while it’s still available. I’m hoping that through this experience I can attain a broader world view that I can carry with me the rest of my life.  In the future, I hope to be teaching veterinary medicine and conducting research. I believe this experience could give me the opportunity to relate to a wide group of people within and outside of academia. I’m hoping that my teaching and research career will not be limited to the United States but that it will involve interactions with people from many different places. 

I’m excited to go on this trip with other Texas A&M students because it gives me a sense of security knowing that others will be going through a similar experience. I look forward to growing and learning with my fellow classmates and getting to look back on this time with each other.