Submitted by Keegan McKelligan on the 2024 Winter LLCU program in Leipzig, Germany…
After a long and exhausting journey to Germany, I had finally made it. Stepping out of the airport, I was hit with the realisation that I was thousands of miles away from, in an entirely new country, with people who spoke a different language and had a different culture from me. This was a feeling that I’ve never experienced prior, as it was somehow different from when I travelled to a foreign country with my family. But, I still had a long rest of the day ahead of me, as I needed to attend a brief introduction at the local college that I was to study at, and move into my apartment. The introduction was a wonderful experience, as I felt truly welcome by the staff at the college and as though they knew how to provide me with an extraordinary education while I was in their care. I then moved into my apartment, or, my new home for the month. As I first entered my new home, I felt somewhat homesick, as it hit me that I will not be seeing my family or my dogs for the entire month. However, my apartment was truly cosy enough that my mind was put to ease. The next day, I attended a formal orientation at my program’s college. The amount of detail that went into our orientation was a shock, as we all clambered into the most beautiful room in the Universität Leipzig, and enjoyed a musical production featuring well-known music from the program location, Leipzig. After that, I attended my first class in a new country. I was nervous, as I had no idea how the class would work out, or if I would even enjoy it. However, my worries quickly disappeared as the class went on, as I realised how amazing my new professor was. As the week went on, I became more and more enamoured with the city, and after only a number of days wished that I could live here one day. But, due to an excursion, I was also able to experience another brand new city, Erfurt, as my group took a day trip there. It was a remarkable experience, as we were given a large amount of free time for me to explore the areas of the city that I wanted to explore, and shop where I wanted to shop. Lastly, throughout this short week so far, I was able to grow and bond with my fellow UDEL classmates who went on this life changing trip with me (Submitted on January 7, 2024).
