Back in the States

I am starting to really miss Germany. My host parents sent Kathy and I each a care package with some chocolate and memorabilia from Dusseldorf. I miss them quite a bit! I did not realize how much the trip had impacted my life until I came back and realized what I had learned. My perspective on life seems to have completely changed. In the past I have been caught up with my studies, and at times, I will pass on an event in order to focus on school. I am not at all saying I am going to stop studying this year, but I realized how important relationships with people are. I think the most amazing aspect about Germany, or really Europe in general, was the people I met and came into contact with, and I no longer want to pass up an opportunity to get to know someone better. It is amazing how you can talk with someone for hours and not even come to know their name, but it is those conversations that my mind constantly reverts back to. I learned quite a deal from those people. I learned to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and to trust everyone first. I know you must also be cautious, but when Kathy and I were stranded in Frankfurt, we may not have had the luck that we had had we not decided to trust the Pakistani man who approached us. I have also decided to become more involved with international students. Last night, I actually went Indian dancing, which was completely out of my comfort zone but so much fun nonetheless. I met a man yesterday from Iran, and it was his first day at Texas A&M yesterday, and I could somewhat relate to what he must have been going through. We talked for awhile and decided to hang out again, and I am really looking forward to that time. I have branched out of my engineering bubble and academic tunnel vision it seems, and I have begun to see my surroundings. I am quite enjoying life at the moment, and despite my hectic schedule, I am at peace with life. I do not stress as much as I have in the past, and my studies are not suffering from it. I am also going to take a class in German with the LLI, and I recently got accepted into the AFIL program through the study abroad office. I do not know what the future will bring, but I have a deep desire to travel overseas again, and hopefully, that will happen sooner than later. Tshuss und bis spater!