Final Post

It is hard to imagine that I started the study abroad process over a year ago.  Freshman year was over and I had only enjoyed the first few weeks of summer before eagerly emailing Dr. Wasser in an attempt to determine whether to study abroad in Bonn, Germany or Swansea, Wales.  It feels like ages ago and, though only a year has passed, I feel so much older-- more “seasoned” in life as some say.  Since returning to the States, I have been busily spending the summer in class and research labs.  I suppose maintaining a tight and demanding schedule has contributed to this “mature, working adult” feeling, but the underlying foundation laid by last semester is unmistakable.  Upon returning to campus to take my differential equations final, I discovered how incredibly strange and unexpected it was to think that students busily rushing through campus during finals week could look up at me and have no idea the enriching, enlightening, life-changing new world I carried with me, fresh in my memory-- all the sights my eyes had seen, all the places my feet had sojourned, all the flavors my mouth had tasted, and all the languages my ears had heard.  Quite bittersweet really… that the recollection of such things could bring so much joy and nostalgia and yet, moments later, an awareness that they all represent days gone by.  

As summer went on, the continual awareness that I had felt of that distant life decreased to occasional flashbacks of Europe, which would waltz into my memory and pull me back to beautiful places and invigorating adventures. So many times this summer, the smallest things trigger memories.  For example, just weeks ago as I drove a friend home to Dallas, we laughed at his first cell phones, the tiny ones with buttons you have to push multiple times in a text depending on the letter you need.  For a while, I paused.  I feel like I’ve used one of those lately... was that in a dream?  I carried three items with me every day no matter where I went in Europe and I had already forgotten the third!  First my wallet, then my cell phone, and third, that silly, little Nokia!   And so began the reminder of my tiny “German phone,” along with the now laughable memories of attempting to quickly text friends to find each other chaotically in foreign places, texting my host mom about dinner plans, and late night texts to make sure everyone got on their bus and “home” safely.

Memories such as this frequently sneak up on me, which, though small or seemingly insignificant, I value greatly.  Even picturing in my mind walking through the cold, wet, grey mornings to school or the brisk nights back home bring me a kind of happiness and familiarity I never imagined they would bring in the moment.  I miss walking through the streets of Bonn, getting to laugh with my host mom, and the awkward half conversations with the family.  I miss the giant, cozy room they generously let me call mine for four months, and the trees I walked past on the way to school that exploded with lush leaves while we were in Paris.  I miss early morning runs along the Rhein to see the sunrise meet the frigid air.  I miss the feeling of being an expert of packing and carrying everything I needed to enjoy life in a single backpack so I could roam with my pals wherever we wished.  I miss the adventure.

Often times, I remember walking down a street in a bustling city or a night of good laughs at a bar and I enjoy the challenge of recollecting where exactly I was or who I was with.  But, that’s just the thing. While I was blessed beyond all expectations to be able to explore twenty cities in nine different countries....

Bonn, Deutschland	Berlin, Deutschland	Sorrento, Italia	Paris, France
Köln, Deutschland	Zürich, Schweiz	Nottingham, England	Dublin, Ireland
Brüssel, Belgien	Milano, Italia	Bingen, Deutschland	Remagen, Germany
München, Deutschland	Firenze, Italia	Colmar, France	Praha, Česká republika
Wien, Österreich	Roma, Italia	Beaune, France	Füssen, Deutschland

...should it be a challenge to remember the who, what, when, where, and why of certain memories?  Granted, many of the major cities in Europe look similar-- the similar architecture, the parks, a major river, etc.--  but the question, even the fear, remains:  What if I forget?

I would never want to forget a single aspect or event of this trip, for even the events that were stressful or undesirable at the time, are now comical memories.  I look forward to continuing the “Remember when…” ‘s with the Germany gang, as we have done since the trip’s culmination, for many years to come.  I entered this trip with an open mind and few specific expectations set.  Among the few I can recall are wishing to create and further friendships with several particular people, wanting to build a strong relationship with my host family, and desiring to learn the language.  In all honesty, none of these turned out as I expected!  I was thrilled by becoming friends with those I hoped for, saddened by friendships that dwindled away, surprised by the friendships that became truly strong, and grateful for the friends I did not expect.  In respect to my host family, they were-- they are-- remarkable individuals.  Due to my odd class schedules (diff eq) and workload in addition to their busy lives as a working father, working mother, and four children, I barely saw them at all quite frankly.  Perhaps I had a certain utopia of gaining a second family in a way while in Germany, yet one cannot forget the simple principle that being a family is chaotic, no matter where you live.  Lastly, perhaps most regrettably, I did not learn the language nearly enough.  I had high hopes for this, but I believe the class was not rigorous enough, nor were we pushed to try enough (whether by faculty or by the sheer fact that the majority of Germans speak English), nor could I practice with my host family enough.  Furthermore, it may be worth noting that while I may have had small presumptions regarding partnering with enmodes, I certainly did not anticipate that we, as minimally trained engineering and science students, could propose final design ideas to upper level enmodes leadership of such quality and ingenuity.

Suffice it to say my specific expectations, beyond just enjoying sightseeing and travelling often, were partially met.  However, fitting with one of the primary lessons of this trip, I learned to not remain affixed to an expectation, but rather “go with the flow” and enjoy every possible moment, frequently making the mental note, Look around.  You’ll want to remember this.  

I’ll wrap this up with one recommendation and two main take-aways.  Perhaps this would subtract from encouraging freedom and independence in the eyes of program coordinations, but the semester may have gone more smoothly for me if there was more advising on the best methods to efficiently plan and execute a trip for the best cost.  AIB should consider including more discussions of trip planning in meetings.  As for take-aways from the trip, firstly, I have never felt more confident in my life and I love it.  Secondly, where can I go next and how soon can I go??  What a world we live in.