It still hasn't set in yet that I will be spending the next 4
months of my life studying and traveling throughout Europe. It feels like
yesterday I was sitting in my first BMEN course asking other students if they
were considering studying abroad. I have been waiting for an opportunity like
this since my older sister returned from this same program. She's been back for
almost two years and still talks about her experience abroad, calling it "the
best semester of college." I have always loved traveling, and was fortunate to
have traveled a lot with my family growing up. This semester in Bonn will provide numerous
opportunities to travel places I've never been and to explore more of the
places I have seen. My sister’s amazing time abroad and my love of traveling
influenced me to participate in this program. Another reason I decided to head
to Bonn was because of the chance to work on an actual project in device design
while taking the same classes I would be taking back in college station to stay
on track for graduation. I am very excited to meet new people and make friends.
I hope to learn more about myself on this program. Being an ocean away from the
people I relied on will force me to become more independent. I expect to learn
more about the German culture by living with my host family, trying new foods,
and hopefully picking up some of the language. I'm excited for the semester to
begin, but I am nervous about a few things. I'm worried about getting to and
from the AIB and finding my way around Bonn. I know at some point in the
semester I will end up lost somewhere or have trouble figuring out my way
through an airport, but that's all part of the experience. I hope my host
family likes me and that I can successfully balance a load of schoolwork with
traveling. While everything feels new and unusual now, I expect to be used to things
in a few weeks. I think I will learn a great deal about myself and gain new
perspectives about the world and the U.S. after living in a different culture
for a semester. I can't wait to see what my semester in Bonn has in store
(hopefully some pastries and pretzels)! :)
Until next time,
Emily
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