Bonn, Germany
February 28th – March 5th
For the recap of this week I can conclude there’s not much
to say except my classmates and I were slowly coming off a Karnvel high and
venturing into treacherous waters, aka, a bunch of school stuff piled itself
up. There were two tests, a presentation, and impossible homework due this
week. You know how they say you should manage your time wisely and balance work
with play, well, that didn’t happen very well this weekend since Karneval kind
of took over and exploded in my face. Don’t get me wrong, it was totally worth
every minute of procrastination when it came to getting my work done, but in
the end, I had to suffer the repercussions my actions and therefore had one
stressful week trying to prepare myself for the two exams and presentation I
had while also completing my homework.
I can safely say though, once Friday hit, a huge burden was
lifted from my shoulders and I no longer had the claws of stress digging into
my back side. I was free. And on top of this feeling, I realized I wouldn’t
formally be schooling for the next two weeks since we are going to France next
week and after that it’s Spring Break. Let’s just say, this two-week hiatus
couldn’t have come at a better time. Not having any homework to complete or
worry about this weekend left me wondering what I was supposed to do with my
free time. I decided to fill it with hanging with my hosting sister, shopping
with a friend, going for several runs, and then sleeping because the runs
exhausted me. I also go to eat delicious food this weekend as well. On Sunday,
my host mom, Astrid, and I went for a run, which turned into us running a 10k
unintentionally, and afterward we came home and rewarded ourselves with a
wonderful breakfast which consisted of chopped fruit and seeds mixed with
grease pudding. I was in heaven. That evening, Astrid cooked ham with sauerkraut
and mashed potatoes. This was the first time I’ve had sauerkraut since arriving
in Germany and I can continue to say that I like it. A lot of people don’t care
for it because of its pungent taste but I find that it compliments certain
meats well.
Despite the difficult week I had, I truly love how I learn
here. The classes are smaller, the professors know your name and are willing to
work with you one on one. It all becomes more personal which I appreciate. The
teaching is tailored to our needs and our crazy schedule. Even though my
classes are just as if not more rigorous than the typical College Station
classes, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. This journey has really opened my
eyes to what it means to live life while working hard. I’ve been less stressed,
even though my schedule is more stressful here than in College Station, I’ve
been able to complete my assignments in a timely manner, and I’m gaining vast
amounts of knowledge in and out of the classroom. I can’t believe I have almost
hit the half way point in this trip. Time as flown by so fast and I’ve already done
so much, and there’s still more to come. I’m excited to see what the future
will hold, but for now I will cherish the present and live in the now. Onward
with the journey, one step at a time.
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