A look back to studying abroad

During the final week being in Germany, I was so ready to get back home. I could not even imagine going back to Germany any time soon. Now that I am back in the US, I want to be back in Germany more than anything. I still have people bring up in small talk ask me how Germany was and all I can really say is "it was good" or "oh, it was really fun" because it would take way too long for me to really explain it to anyone.

Studying abroad in Germany really changed how I view life and different issues. One funny thing it actually changed in me is it has made me a lot calmer of a driver. I still do not understand how they all drove around and parallel parked on those tiny streets. On a more serious note, it really opened my eyes to viewing America and my own issues in a different light. Being away from Americans and talking to Germans about American issues gave me a new perspective.

I am an engineer so no surprise that I am an introvert. Going into this trip I was terrified about making friends and being able to come out of my shell. I made two lifelong friends who I will forever be grateful for. I learned to be more confident in myself while I was in Germany and not be so scared to be myself which even my friends back home have started noticing and telling me.

Reflecting on the best four months of my life!

 I can't believe almost five months have passed since I was living in Bonn. Although my time in Germany feels like a distant dream, the experiences and knowledge I gained will forever be a part of me. I went into my study abroad with very high expectations, and yet they were still blown out of the water. I got to see so many amazing sights, learn more than I could have imagined, and above all, I got to meet and connect with some truly amazing people. There was never a dull moment while living in Germany, even the challenges and struggles had a nuance that excited me and was appealing to my curious nature. Navigating through a foreign country, language, and culture, forced me as far out of my comfort zone as possible, and this was where the true learning took place.

After having some time to reflect, I have some clear takeaways from the various lessons I learned. I gained a profound ability to be flexible. From having little control over the food I was eating to traveling in a constant state of uncertainty from relying on public transportation, I was forced to accept whatever situation I encountered, and live in a constant state of focusing on what I could control and being at peace with the rest. The second and biggest thing that I learned, and something that has dramatically changed how I view myself and the people around me, is that people can live very differently and disagree on a majority of topics, and that is okay. I feel as though I have always had a very open mind toward other people, but living with a German host family allowed me to be introspective and open-minded about my own life and how I live. That the perception and standard I have built for myself isn't the only way I have to live, that there is an abundance of aspects to enjoy in life and that there is far more to experience than the comfort zone I naturally want to conform to. This was an unending lesson during my time in Germany, from speaking to my family about their values and morals to witnessing them first-hand, I had nothing but time and perspective to help me navigate my own desires and goals. And although some of my goals were even more reinforced, I am without a doubt considering a different life than I was before my study abroad. I now have a firm intention to return to Europe to live, either to work or go to graduate school, I feel that expanding on my short experience will benefit me more than I can explain. My perspective and opinions on people have also changed, as even while conversing with my best friends I've noticed that I have a new sense of patience and observation as opposed to quickly making assumptions and riding my opinions. 

Thankful doesn't do justice to how I feel about my time in Germany and how I benefit on a daily basis from the experiences I gained. I'm excited to resume that life and adventure that I miss so dearly, as well as use what I learned and experienced to continue to grow as a person.

Final Reflection

        After living in Germany for four months, it has encouraged me to live in Europe for at least one year of my life! I have no idea at what point I will do this, nor what country I will move to but this is definitely a goal that I have added to my bucket list! This was my first time traveling outside of the United States for an extended period of time, so this was also the first time that I first-hand got to learn about and become accustomed to the sociocultural norms of another group of people, and this experience was eye-opening. Ultimately, this experience really made me question the values that America holds so close to our hearts. Through this, I realized that, for the most part, everything in America boils down to money. It is so crazy to me (in a good way) how in Germany institutions are put into place so that citizens do not have to pay crazy out-of-pocket costs or procure thousands of dollars worth of bills just to visit the doctor. In America, people will avoid seeking medical attention for as long as they can because they simply cannot afford to see a doctor. Also, it was INSANE how cheap grocery stores were in Germany even though foods were much more fresh and healthy than the foods in grocery stores in America comparatively. It was also incredibly insightful to learn about the values that Germans treasure. I LOVE how Sundays (but honestly the entire weekend) are dedicated to family time. It was a good reminder that sometimes you just need to slow down and be grateful for what you have. Just walking around Bonn on the weekends you could feel the sense of community and love in the air as everyone was outside enjoying themselves with the people they love. After about a month of living in Bonn, one day Katie and I were having a conversation about cultural differences between Americans and Europeans (in our experience) and our working hypothesis was that Europeans are more considerate and conscientious. From our perspective, it seemed like everyone in society was working together or at least towards a common goal. For example, the effort to help conserve Earth’s resources was practiced by nearly everyone! Even if it was just the little things like separating your trash correctly or returning reusable bottles for money, I like how policies were put in place to help heal the Earth; after all, we all live on it. I think about Europe every day both reminiscing on my trip and wondering when I will get to return next. This was a life-changing experience.

Retrospective Post

 

The four months I spent in Germany were the first I’ve ever spent outside of the United States, and the longest I’ve ever been away from home. It forced me to be independent in a way I haven’t fully been able to experience before. College Station is only a two-hour drive away from my family, and moving an ocean away was really scary. I applied and committed to this program in a short period of time, so I didn’t have very long to prepare or learn the language. I struggled with the language barrier for a while, but it really forced me to go out of my comfort zone and be more confident in trying to communicate with other people. Living in another country comes with its challenges, but this pushed me to remain flexible and resilient in my everyday life because I could never predict what I would encounter with every new day.

This program really reignited my desire to learn for the sake of learning. Especially in a world where we tend to study for grades and academic success, it was refreshing to be excited about learning for fun. Living in Germany has also made me more aware of my efforts to continue to grow and learn about the world throughout my entire life. Through high school, I had a teacher who always would say that “different doesn’t mean worse” and I never fully took that to heart until traveling abroad. The world is so much more than the little corner of Texas that we live in and being set in one way of living is severely limiting, especially in engineering. As a biomedical engineer, my goal is to help the world as a whole, which is so much easier and so much more impactful if we truly get to know the world around us.

My Study Abroad Reflection

My study abroad experience was truly the Hero's Journey since being a part of the first program back in Bonn after the pandemic. The hardest part was deciding whether or not to actually go abroad and spend a whole semester away from friends, family, and everything I knew. I was sad about missing my family, friend's birthdays, ring dunks, and another semester in Aggieland. I didn't know anyone else in the program, so I took a leap of faith to live across the world for 4 months. Little did I know, the memories I made abroad were so much better than anything inside the bubble of College Station. The next hardest part was the adjustment period of being in a new country, with new people, and not knowing how to use the public transportation. And I was freezing cold. If I could go back and repack my suitcase, I would bring so many more sweaters and layers, and put back over half of my t-shirts and shorts. I got over my culture shock by realizing there is a different way to do everything and get the same results. Like hanging my laundry to dry, without a dryer machine. A lot of places are closed on Sunday, just like Chick-fil-A. After a few weeks of classes and getting to know my classmates, I became more comfortable living in Germany. I did not have a host family, so my apartment became the gathering place for my friends. We did everything together from studying to cooking dinner to traveling. Everything was new, so there were always new places to shop and eat at. I was constantly learning, whether I was in class, at a museum, or trying to read German. Traveling was easily my favorite part. I was able to see so many historical sights and famous art pieces, go on so many beautiful hikes, meet new people, and eat really good food with my new best friends. It was a learning curve trying to book trains and airbnbs, but it was definitely motivating to get my homework done. I discovered a new sense of freedom by living on a different continent as a young woman in college. I became more decisive and self confident, through trial and error. Literally trying new things to truly learn what I like and what I am passionate about. From my time abroad, I gained a larger world view to be more accepting and loving of people. I am so thankful for my time in Bonn and hope to return someday! 

- Katie Haley Class of 2023