Day 111

The past months have been insane. A good insane, but insane nonetheless. I feel like I have become a much more independent person, which I had hoped for. Something I didn’t expect to happen was that I’m now a bit of a cheese snob. My host parents always had the best cheeses that were served with dinner, and I’m going to miss those so much. American cheeses taste powdery and weird in comparison to what they always would prepare. Another thing I didn’t expect was the religious aspect of this trip. Visiting all of the cathedrals and learning about how much work was put into them always astounded me. People would dedicate their entire lives to completing an altarpiece, statue, or stained-glass window, all for their Lord. The fact that somebody could invest that amount of time into something and get little to nothing in terms of monetary compensation in return was so strange. It made me appreciate their work and their motivation. It's hard to put into words what this meant to me, but it made me feel closer to my own religion and deity. My host parents were pescatarians, which I was initially concerned about. I’ve grown up eating meat with every meal and was never the biggest fan of vegetables. Now, I like them and will incorporate them into my diet more. I also feel like I have a much deeper appreciation for Germans. Germany has a very controversial, troubled past, yet the people choose to face it head on and hold themselves accountable for their actions. If you mention slavery in America, people handle it much differently and less tactful than how Germans deal with World War II. During this trip, I realized how much I liked history and I'm now getting a minor in it! If I hadn't have gone on this Hero's Journey I would most definitely not be getting a minor in that subject. I learned that I really like snow in small amounts and love living next to a river, I had low expectations on how many people I would befriend and really enjoy hanging out and traveling with, and that was one of the biggest surprises of all. Nearly everybody that I had class with was so fun and I'm happy to call most of them my friends. I know that some of the people that I met on this trip will be my friends for many years to come, and that makes my heart happy. Germany was a beautiful, welcoming country and I can't wait to return.