Germany Pre-Departure Post

I'll be on a plane headed to Germany in less than 26 hours and I still can't believe it. It was towards the end of my freshman year that I realized I wanted to study abroad at some point during my undergraduate career. I also wanted to make sure I found the right program to invest and participate in. Given my interest in medicine and my desire to visit Europe, the History of Medicine program in Bonn was the perfect choice. I expect to be in complete awe the first few days, unable to believe I'm actually there. Other than that, I don't really know what to expect from my stay in Europe but the simple idea of being hosted in a German household is extremely exciting because I think that's as first-hand an experience as one can get from a different culture. The only other country I've been to besides the United States is Mexico, which I lived in as a kid. I still travel to Mexico from time to time and the culture shock is still there every time believe it or not. I can only imagine how much greater that will be in Europe, being literally overseas and thousands of miles away from home. I am also the first person in my entire family to travel overseas which makes me appreciate this opportunity even more. The only worries I have about this trip are having trouble getting around (transportation), obtaining cash and making payments there, and possibly having trouble communicating with the people there. However, I have heard most people there speak English so hopefully that won't be a problem in most cases, and I also expect to adjust to the transportation system and money handling fairly quickly within the first week or so. I also know that the AIB and A&M staff will be available for anything we might need so I'm not too worried about being unable to resolve any issues that might come up. With that said, I will do my best to fully immerse myself in this experience, and enjoy and appreciate every moment of my time abroad. I absolutely cannot wait for it to begin!