Submitted by Andrew Schoen on the 2017 winter session program in Leipzig, Germany sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures…
So in a few days, I am finally headed home and it is bittersweet. I am happy to see my family and be in a country that I can really call home. I miss my friends and my dog. However, being in Germany has been a blast and I really do feel at home as well. My German has never been better; I am more confident than ever in speaking to people. I am not so annoyed with the cultural differences (except expecting exact change at the supermarket, what is that about?) And although, I think it best not to talk politics in a journal, there are troubled times at home. People are more upset, afraid and uncertain than ever. I will be flying into an airport with detainees and protesters.
My free weekend was a once in a lifetime experience, but that doesn’t exempt it from also being one of the most stressful situations I’ve ever been in. I was completely alone and on the brink of missing both my flight and train. I may have arrived in Brussels safely, but was I unsure for a little while. I really did learn how to be independent this weekend, as the alone journey across Western Europe was the most mature thing I have ever done.
Some final thoughts…I am exceptionally grateful for my opportunity to be here in Germany for a month studying. It is not lost on me that most people can only dream of this. I would like to thank the program directors and teachers. I would like to thank Frau Busch and the rest of the Delaware crew for being on the journey with me. And I would most of all like to thank my parents for allowing this to happen. I will forever be grateful for the sacrifices they have made to allow me to do things like this. Thank you.