This past weekend, my last weekend in Europe, I spent in
Dublin, Ireland with Nick and Joseph. We spent most of our time exploring the
city and just checking out what all Dublin had to offer. The temperature was
cooler and the air was fresh, you could hear live music down every street you
walked, and the people were very friendly. It was a bit of a change, but
definitely a nice change, having people return a smile when we passed on the
sidewalk.
I flew back to Frankfurt late on Monday and ended up just
sleeping a couple of hours in the airport before catching my next flight home.
I boarded the plane at 10:38 AM and we took off at 11:20. It was a direct
flight to DFW, so I would arrive at 3:00 PM after a 10+ hour flight. I was
prepared for the jetlag to hit me hard. When I arrived in Dallas, everything
went very smoothly, and within 25 minutes of the plane stopping, I was greeted
with big smiles from my family. I had been craving good Tex-Mex for about 5
weeks, so that was our first stop on the way home. A glass of sweet tea with
ice, and free refills are what my dreams were made of and they came true within
an hour of being back. It was the fourth of July, so could not go to sleep
as soon as I got home. I was pretty exhausted, but it was worth staying up for
the firework show that night.
When I think back over the trip, I almost have to pinch
myself to remind me that it actually happened. I consider myself incredibly
fortunate to have gone with this program and to have learned so much. It was
amazing to be able to learn about some of the history of Germany and Austria
while walking around the sites where the events actually occurred. You are able
to gain information that is not possible by sitting in a lecture hall in
College Station, Texas. I am now a firm believer that everyone should study
abroad at least once. This experience was made perfect not only by all of the knowledge
I gained, but also the friendships. When I met the other students going on this
trip, no way did I imagine that some of these people would become my best
friends. I miss Germany and am already trying to return, but I am happy that
the people I was surrounded by will be with me in College Station.
Tschüss,
Hailey
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