the journey has officially come to an end

            This trip was full of memories and experiences that I will cherish for my entire life. I've been home seven weeks now, and I still feel myself wishing I was back in Germany and getting to experience the whole thing all over again. I have officially become the girl who often starts stories with "This one time on my study abroad..." and I'm not even sorry about it. Every time I meet someone with a science major, I promote this trip.

still miss Heidi Klum

                   Before I decided I wanted to go on this trip, I was hesitant. I didn't know anyone who was going, which terrified me, and I was nervous about going with BIMS when my major is animal science. I am so glad I took the leap and decided to go on the trip anyway. I made some amazing friends and getting to hang out with them back in College Station makes me feel like Germany isn't really that far away.

also Paris was SO FUN

           I learned so much from my experiences on this trip, and I fully believe that they changed me as a person. Immersing yourself in a completely different culture for six weeks really changes your outlook on life. I still miss hearing the German language, which I never thought I would say because I used to always think it was a super harsh sounding language. I miss being able to go wherever I wanted to go on the weekends (even though I still want to sue Deutsche Bahn for emotional distress). I miss the amazing food (especially the cheese wieners from Vienna), and I'm proud to say I tried so many different foods from so many different cultures, which I don't know if I would have been as open to trying if it hadn't been for this trip (I now find myself craving Syrian food). I also am now able to semi-confidently ride a bike, so I'm glad I have that skill if I ever need it. Because of this trip, I am now also not afraid of traveling alone. Before Germany, the thought of being alone on a plane frightened me, but now I feel 100% comfortable with it. This trip also gave me an idea of what I want to do with my life, which I am eternally grateful for. While I definitely still miss Germany, I am also so happy to be home. I miss my cat, my family, my friends, AC, and my car. This trip also definitely helped me feel more comfortable to the idea of me permanently living somewhere in Europe, and I've spent these past weeks trying to get one of my friends to take that leap with me after graduation.

I learned staring at human surgeries actually didn't make me pass out

                Thank you again to my parents for allowing me to experience the summer of a lifetime. I am so grateful for all the help you provided me with. To any prospective student reading this debating if they should take the leap, do it! You'll meet amazing people and have experiences you'll cherish forever. Auf wiedersehen, Germany!

me n the crew at tacos :')