Back to Reality

The final blog post. I think I have been putting off writing this last post because the finality that comes with it is a little sad. It's the last nail in the coffin to the end of my study abroad experience. At the same time though, I have realized that my experience doesn't really ever end. I am constantly seeing things that remind me of Bonn or using the things I learned abroad in my daily life. It feels like so long ago that I was  roaming the streets of Germany and seeing brand new things all around me. We saw so much and I learned so much in those 6 weeks, that sometimes when I think about it now it seems so unreal. Before this trip, I never would have thought that I would spend 4 days biking around an island or jumping into the North Sea. It never would have crossed my mind to hike a mud flat or hop on a random train hoping it would take me in the right direction. That is what was so special about this trip. It introduced me to so many incredible experiences and so many amazing people that if I said I wasn't a different person after it I would be lying. So without further ado here are just a few of the many things that I have learned on this trip.

Okay yeah I miss pistazie

1. Seize the day and search for opportunities. I learned about this trip from an email that Dr. Wasser sent to all A&M students and it peaked my interest, so I went to the informational. Then all of a sudden I was signed up to study abroad and it was the best decision I've ever made. What I've learned from this trip is that there are opportunities for experiences like this everywhere, but you just have to go for them. Sometimes you need to go searching for them too, but we have unlimited access with the internet right at our fingertips. I've started to live in a mindset where if something interests me, I am going to go for it and explore it. There is no point in missing out on opportunities and letting them pass by.
2. Be adaptable. (Stuff happens... its all about how you react to it) A lot of crazy things happened while I was abroad, but I have noticed that the biggest thing that affected how the events played out was how I reacted to them. It is so important to be adaptable when things don't go according to plan. Embrace the chaos that comes with unpredictability because you never know what good things are going to come out of it. You never know who you are going to meet or what you are going to witness. I am a strong believer that everything happens for a reason so when stuff happens, see it in a different light than a negative one.
3. Be in the moment. Life is short. It is especially way too short to spend moments looking at a screen. I have learned how important it is to have a certain kind of intentionality in all the conversations you have and the experiences you have. There is something special in everything you do. The part I missed the most about being aboard was the novelty. Everything was so cool and I was in a mindset where every single thing was amazing. I am eating gelato in Bonn. How cool?? Now that I am back here things seem bland, but in the past week I have been trying to take a step back and think about the things I am grateful for here.

Missed Aggie Football

4. Go explore. Seriously. Go outside and do something crazy. The other day I went to a 6:30 am sunrise yoga class in the Gardens because I was missing Tai Chi. It was great. Just because you aren't in a different country right now, doesn't mean there aren't cool things to go do. Go lay out in a field because you want to. Hammock in the academic plaza. Spend time enjoying yourself.
5. Be a worldly person. This was the biggest thing I realized I was lacking when I went abroad. I knew next to nothing about what was going on in the world, let alone in my own country. So look at the news and be aware. Keep learning everyday, be open to new ideas and thoughts, and form your own opinions on different matters.

On the second to last day in Berlin, I started crying. I still really don't know why. I think I was overwhelmed. I had just had the best 6 weeks of my life where I learned so much and it was about to be over. I also think I was afraid that the person I had become while I was abroad was going to be gone once I crossed back into Texas. Abroad, I was spontaneous and felt like I was on top of the world. I could hop on a train by myself and be fine. I had this immense confidence in myself and my capabilities. I think I was afraid that I would lose all of it the second I stepped foot on the plane. When I came back though, it was still there. The biggest change I went through this summer was gaining a different kind of independence. It's one thing being two and a half hours away from home in college and saying you are independent, but there is a whole other kind of independence when you are across the world in a different time zone with brand new people surrounding you, having to figure out your way. I still have that confidence in my abilities and I know that anything I set my mind on I can accomplish.

Berlin was good to me

I still miss Germany, but she will always be with me. The things I learned while over there and the experiences I had are forever. Okay Dusseldorf Digest, this is the last post from me. If you are reading this, take the chance and study abroad. Go on your own hero's journey and trust me, you will never regret it.

Tschss,

Suji Dalal