I'm not quite sure what I expected to get out of this semester abroad, but I can safely say, I got way more than I ever could have dreamed of. I traveled the continent, made some absolutely amazing new friends, I can finally have a conversation auf Deutsch, I gained way too much weight, and spent way too much money. But these past six months have been the most amazing months of my life, and I don't regret a single thing.
Like Miss Emily Bender, here is a list of things I will miss and things I will most definitely not miss.
I will miss:
-My new friends. I made some incredible new friends this semester, and luckily, most of them go to Stevens Point, so I will be seeing them in the fall. But I'm very sad to say that my three traveling buddies, Emily, Kirsten, and Kelsey either go to Madison or Eau Claire.
-The Disko (Clubs). I love dancing. I love dancing. I love dancing. That's pretty much it.
-German sweets. This includes the many bakeries they have on almost every corner, German chocolate, which is a thousand times better than American chocolate, and the delicious gummy candies, including Haribo and Fred Ferkel of course. I know we have Haribo in the States, but it just isn't the same.
-Cheap Flights. It's nice to be able to travel somewhere far away for just a small amount of money, such as my 5 euro roundtrip fare to Rome two years ago, or my 45 euro roundtrip flight to Portugal.
-Trains. They make so much sense and make life so much easier sometimes.
-Drinking wine and cocktails. It's really nice to be able to order a glass of wine with dinner or have a cocktail on ladies night. I didn't think I would be upset about not being allowed to drink for another year once I come home, but I'll admit, it sucks.
-Kisses on the cheek when you greet someone. It's a nice touch. I wish we had it in the States.
-The style. People here are dressed so much better here because the style is so much better. Nobody walks around in just a t-shirt and jeans, and it's really nice not seing any pajamas in the classroom.
-The relaxed society. The people are so much more relaxed here because they're not work crazy like American people. They don't have to work nearly as much to make a decent amount of money, and they get plenty of time off throughout the year to vacation. My host family takes at least a couple of vacations every year.
-The Autobahn. I like speed, even if I'm not the one driving.
I will not miss:
-Late nights. The Germans love to party, but not until midnight or later. Sorry Germany, but I like to be in bed by midnight, not just starting my night.
-Bikes. I'm sick of those darn bike bells. I understand that you want me to move out of your way, and hey, I don't want to be run over either. But enough with the bells already!
-Thieves. It's just a little frustrating when you go to the public fridge in the kitchen for your food to find that it's been stolen. Stupid Diebs! Yeah, I've got loads of money to just throw around.
-The Euro. The exchange rate has certainly not done any favors for me this semester.
-My hairdryer. It's not the most pleasant thing to have your hair sucked into the other end of the hair dryer when you're trying to dry your hair.
-Not having any screens. I really don't like having giant mosquitoes in my room at night or moths for that matter. I also don't like having a bee attack right before I'm about to go to bed because there just happens to be a hive right outside the window. And you know what else sucks, waking up to a bee sting from the lone bee that survived the hairspray and fly swatter from the night before.
-Paying for water, refills, and bathrooms. Why do I have to pay for water? Why do I have to pay for refills when the drink was as small and expensive as it was to begin with? And why do I have to pay to use your bathroom? It better be real nice if I'm paying to go.
-Cigarettes. Smoking is still pretty popular here, so I am not going to miss the smoke I inhale on a regular basis.
-Not being able to watch youtube videos. It stinks not being able to watch a new video or something because "this video is not allowed in your country."
-Stinky people. Deoderant is not necessary here, and that's cool. I get it. But please keep a good distance away from me, or at least have the courtesy to change your shirt more than every three days.
-The Bus. Crowded, no air-conditioning, and again with the stinky people.
I didn't study abroad to "find myself" either. But I guess I did learn a lot about myself this semester. I worry way too much. I'm unfortunately a control freak. I'm a neat freak, but I already knew that. I'm addicted to sweets, and if there's food in front of me, I will eat it. I don't need a whole lot to live with, just give me the basics. I can make a week's worth of clothes last three or more weeks (I'm good at doing laundry in the sink). I'm extremely similar to my dad, and I never realized that before this semester.
I guess all I can really say now though, is that I am really going to miss Germany. This country has become my home these last six months, and I'm much more sad than I ever expected to be to leave it. That just means I'll have to come back as soon as I can to visit. But it's tschüß for now Deutschland, you will be missed.
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