Week 1 of Germany Adventure

Time flies by when you are having fun. We only arrived at Bonn on Monday and now, it is Saturday. I have been enjoying my time here. I have been learning new things including academic material, like the three major composers during the classical period of music, and cultural material, like kids from Germany don't know how to play Go Fish. I actually just taught my host family how to play Go Fish, which was quite enjoyable. I was first nervous when I arrived at Bonn since it is a foreign place, but I am starting to enjoy Bonn. I love the small bakeries where you can buy fresh goods to the nice summer climate, which beats the Texas's heat any day. My host family has been nothing but nice and caring. I couldn't have ask for any other host family. One adventure that I had, which might seem boring to an average person, but is exciting from me, was visiting a grocery store in Bonn. I found it fascinating at the similar and different food easily available in Bonn. I can recognize similar food in the store like bread, fruits, and etc. but, some products were extremely different. Did you know there was bacon chips?! I actually bought them (well, my host mom saw my reaction when I saw the bacon chips and told me I had to buy them) and they tasted a lot better than I thought. Also if anyone feel like they need a Dr. Pepper fix, they have that here. I feel like this week will be a small step on our giant European adventure. I hope everyone has a wonderful week and takes care!

My First Week in Bonn

Hallo, y'all! My flight to Frankfurt wasn’t bad at all. Everything went smoothly, except for the fact that I really couldn’t go to sleep on the plane. Thankfully, though, I really didn’t experience much jet-lag. On Monday, me and Emily got to meet my host mom. She is very sweet and kind! And the food she makes is great. Every time I ask if I can help her clean up the dishes, she says not to worry about it. It’s very strange for me, though, because I am used to helping out around the house (my mom is always reminding me to clean after myself). I love the neighborhood we live in, and our walk to the bus stop is about a 2-minute walk so that’s a bonus. We have been in Bonn for five days now, and it’s been great! I feel very comfortable and safe here. I am getting to know more and more my surroundings. Yesterday, I had brunch with my host mom and her son’s family. Because the weather was great, we ate outside and talked. Afterwards, a group of us went to the Seven Hills and went on a hike towards Schloss Drachenburg. From the top of the castle, the view of the Rhine River and surrounding town was phenomenal. We ate at a restaurant along the Rhine River. Back home, I like all my drinks really cold. I basically add ice to everything I drink (including orange juice). Here, however, ice is not the norm and I really haven’t gotten used to this (maybe that will change in the next weeks to come). It’s really strange for me to drink room temperature water, and even stranger to drink sparkling water. Tomorrow morning, I will be going to Munich. It will be my first European excursion! I will let y'all in on my findings there soon. Alright, talk to y’all later. Auf Wiedersehen!  

Dinner with Host Mom

Schloss Drachenburg

Dinner along Rhine River

First Post of First Week

I have been in Bonn for about five days now, observing everything I can about the place, the people, and the general vibe I get from this place and how it compares to what I have experienced before. My findings in a few words: I freaking love it here! I initially had doubts about the trip in the initial stages of applying and planning, but I am so glad that I went through with my decision. I love the people here, despite not being able to communicate fluently with them (hope that changes). I love the way things run here. I love my classes so far, particularly the History of Medicine class itself (no, I'm not saying that because Dr. Wasser reads these, they legitimately fascinate me).

One of my biggest worries was, and still is, traveling among the different countries and whatnot. With my first weekend trip starting tomorrow with a very early train to Munich, those fears still hold on slightly. However, nothing ventured is nothing gained, and I'm sure I will calm these fears very quickly once the train starts moving.

I will probably talk all about it in my next post tomorrow.

four days in and time is flying by

The moment Jessica and I walked into our host home, we were offered coffee and cake and I instantly knew this was going to be perfect (since I live off coffee, and who doesn't love cake??). Our host mom is awesome and has been very hospitable since we have been here. We live in a very quaint, quiet neighborhood right against a beautiful forest with trails. Learning how the bus system works was difficult the for the first few days. The first day we didn't realize that we needed to catch a different bus headed back home, so it took us two and a half hours to get home, and the following day our bus came 15 minutes later than our host mom told us, so we were late to class. And then, I left my bus pass one day and had to pay for a ticket (because after 9pm they check for tickets). BUT, yesterday and today I managed so I guess you can say I'm a local now (just kidding, but maybe after 5 weeks I could be??). On that note, German is an interesting language and I am starting to kinda pick up some phrases, but when I need to actually use them I can't remember any of it. Hopefully I will get some practice in this weekend. 

Yesterday was Ascension Day, which is a public religious holiday and so we did not have class. My host mom's family came for brunch, and they all spoke English (yay). We had so many cheeses and breads, of course, and it was all so delicious. After brunch a group of us went to Siebengebirge (Seven Hills) and took what became a very steep hike, up to Schloss Drachenburg (Dragon Castle). The weather was wonderful and the view was beautiful. So much greenery, clear blue skies, and the Rhine River looked great. We then ate dinner, and I finally had Wiener Schnitzel and it was delicious. It was such a great day. 

Today, after 4+ hours of classes, I came home to take a nap and hopefully will be taking a nap soon. Mostly everyone is leaving for the weekend, but I am staying back and meeting with a mutual friend who is taking me around outside of Bonn (she was actually my cousin's exchange student back at home some years ago, which is neat). I also hope to really master city center this weekend because my directions aren't too hot right now, and also learn some more German.
Tschüss!
Emily

Pre-departure (5/21)

Tomorrow is the day! I have spent the last week in Barcelona which has given me some time to adjust a little bit. I have dreamt of visiting Germany my entire life, and I cannot believe the time has finally arrived. This is the first time I have traveled to Europe, so I am both excited and a bit anxious not knowing what to expect. I am most excited to be independent and find myself on this journey. I will be doing a lot of solo traveling, which I know will challenge me greatly. I have faith, however, that I will grow as a person more than ever before. I am excited to completely immerse myself in the German culture. I want to go on morning runs, visit coffee shops, and just live in the daily life of a German. I am really looking forward to getting to know my host family. I feel that this is the best possible way to fully experience all that the German people have to offer. The months of preparation are about to pay off, and I can't wait to see what life is like on the other side. Let the journey of a lifetime begin!

-Sarah Speights

We made it!

After tomorrow we as a group will have finished our first week of classes here in Germany!  In such a short period of time it feels like so much has already happened.  Our trip to Europe felt like it would never end but now that we are here it seems like time is flying by.  The first night with my host family they welcomed me and my roommate to Germany and told us that we were now a part of their family.  From the very start they treated us like family and I feel extremely lucky to have such a loving host family.  After being welcomed to Germany I promptly went to bed to prepare for our first official day in Bonn.  After our orientation a group of students and I went and had lunch.  This was our first time interacting with the people in Bonn and as such I was slightly nervous.  We had one German class under our belts so we did not have a lot to go with at this point.  In the end though we managed to order and get our food successfully.

The first meal I ordered in Europe was currywurst.  I was slightly skeptical about ordering German sausage with some sort of curry component, but in the end I decided I would give it a shot since I love curry.  It ended up being delicious and I was very happy with my first food selection in Europe.  After lunch we went back to AIB where we then got a tour of Bonn from Henning.  Bonn is truly a beautiful city but as we were going along on our tour I could not help but feel overwhelmed.  It seemed like I would not actually retain where anything was.  After our first day in Bonn I was exhausted so I went back home and had dinner with my host family then promptly went to bed.  Our first day of classes started as a bit of a cluster...  Dae and I got on our bus to go to class and everything was going fine until our bus turned and started going away from AIB.  We had falsely assumed that the bus would continue down the road and get us closer to AIB.  By the time we realized the bus was not going back towards AIB we were pretty far so we ended up having to rush to class.  Once we were in class tho everything was fine.  After my first day of classes I do have to say that I am a little stressed about the school aspect of this trip but I know that I just put in the effort everything will be fine.  After classes we had a long gap period and then the AIB BBQ.  The AIB BBQ was a great way to socialize with not only the students in my own program but also students who in other programs who are currently in Bonn.  I met multiple people the night of the BBQ that were in different programs and am actually planning on meeting up with them as the trip progresses.  The day after the BBQ was a free day so a group of us decided to go to the Seven Hills region to visit Schloss Drachenburg (Dragon Castle).  

After hiking up what seemed to be a completely vertical path we made it to the top and found an amazing view awaiting us.  The castle itself was lavish and exciting but the view of the surrounding area is what really captivated me.  Being able to experience Germany on such a beautiful day made this day a success.  I was able to bond with the other students on the program and experience Germany in an extremely fulfilling way.  As I approach the weekend and a trip to Munich I am becoming overwhelmed with planning future weekend trips and trying to focus on school.  I know that as the trip progresses though there are only more amazing things to come. 

Update on life

I have currently been here for about half a week and I feel like I have already done so much. The flight wasn't as bad as I expected but it still brought on some unwanted jet-lag. When we arrived, we waited at the airport for what seemed like forever which was probably caused by the crazy anticipation of what was to come. After a long, but scenic bus ride, we finally ended up at my host family's house where we were warmly greeted with open arms and endless trays of German food and drink. My host parents have been some of the most caring and loving people that I could have asked for and I couldn't imagine anything better. The first day of classes was an exciting one because it fully revealed what we have gotten ourselves in to and I definitely do not regret it. Dr. Wasser and Dr. Waltz did a great job at presenting the subject matter in a way that deeply sparks my passion for medicine and my excitement to further educate myself on these fields of study. It still hasn't sunk in yet that I'm learning what I love in Germany because never in my lifetime would I have ever thought I would get this opportunity. So far literally everywhere I've travelled has been almost like a dream because of the surreal beauty that surrounds me. From the european style homes to the millions of trees casting a shadow over me, I honestly can't get enough of it. For example, today I had the opportunity to venture out to the seven mountains to go on a scenic hike along the mountains that line the Rhein River. On the top of one of the mountains was a gorgeous castle and some ruins that we visited. The views from these landmarks were absolutely breathtaking and although hundreds of pictures were taken, no picture could do justice to the true, natural beauty that we were witnessing. Lastly, amidst all the beauty, we have encountered a few minor problems in the foreign country. First, of course, is the language barrier. From trying to order food to trying to read important signs, its been a struggle not being fluent in Deutsch. However it's a challenge that I am up for and willing to improve at. The second complication is the transportation, however slowly but surely, we're piecing it all together. For example, tonight while trying to get home, we got on a bus that went the opposite way of our home and ending up wasting an hour. The good part is that at least we know what not to do for future reference. In conclusion, this week has been delightfully eventful and makes me even more excited for the weeks to come, lessons to learn, and deeper friendships to form.

I'm coming for ya Germany

The day to leave is finally here and in a few short hours I'll be embarking to gain an experience of a lifetime.  Although I've known that I'd be attending this trip for months it really only just hit me as I'm writing this post in my living room with my packed bags all around me.  I can confidently say that I'm going to be a different person when sitting back on this couch in 6 weeks but I can also just as confidently say that I know nothing of what those changes will be.  Only time will tell all the things I'll learn and the new friendships that will come to fruition.  I'm nervous and excited to dive in head first into German culture with my peers who are all in the same boat as me.  It's important to continue to remind myself how special of an opportunity this is everyday I wake up abroad.  Not everyone gets the chance to have experiences like this and I think keeping this in the back of my mind will help me to maintain an attitude of open mindedness, positivity, and an ambition to learn as much as possible.  I hope that by the end of this trip I'll have been so fulfilled that I'll think twice about hopping back on that 10 hour flight home.

See you in 6 weeks Dallas.

Pre-Departure Post

I can't believe it's finally time for me to leave for Germany. I have been waiting for this trip for months, but it didn't feel real until I started packing my bags and exchanging my dollars for euros. I have never been outside the United States before, which is one of the main reasons I decided to participate in a study abroad program. I have always wanted to visit Europe and see the rich, cultural sites. I feel very sheltered having never been outside the country I was born in, and I wanted to change that. I chose this program because I enjoy history and being able to learn about medicine and music where it all happened is an incredible opportunity. I'm expecting this trip to be better than simply learning in a classroom. I'm hoping to pick up some conversational German, since I currently only know how to say "hello" and "thank you". Being in a different country and hearing people speak a different language I don't understand is a very humbling experience. I am a little nervous about flying by myself. I've only flown by myself twice before and for much shorter distances. I'm excited and a little anxious to meet my host family. I'm looking forward to learning about them and discussing both German and American things. This trip is going to be incredible and I am very thankful to be here.

sweet dreams (are made of this)

The trip has finally arrived. After an entire semester of anticipation and dreaming of this trip, I'm getting on a plane very soon to leave home for over a month. I've been abroad a couple times before, but always for max two or three weeks at a time, and never without my family, so I'm very eager to be put out of my comfort zone and do some traveling alone. I'm excited to fully experience German culture and people and food and to hopefully learn some German along the way. I remember when I first got the email about this program. I was at tutoring, not really paying attention (whoops), and saw the notification for the program from Emily. I read it and was instantly hooked. It seemed so interesting, with all the integrated trips, courses, and of course the free weekends to travel. I was delighted when my parents said I could go for it and apply. They've been so supportive and I am so so thankful. It's weird to think that after all this buildup, it's finally happening. Honestly though, the feelings of excitement have momentarily subsided and have been replaced by nervousness. Like I said, this trip is going to put me way out of my comfort zone and I know I'm ready to be not ready (haha), but there are so many variables that I'm going to just have to do my best to keep an open mind, stop overthinking, and enjoy the moment. Here's to a (hopefully) great trip!

JMD

Today Is the Day!

I board the plane today for Frankfurt, and yet as I sit here, bags packed, it still doesn’t feel real. I have never been to Europe, or out of the U.S. for that matter, so this will be a whole new experience for me. I cannot wait! I am extremely excited and slightly antsy. I am eager to observe a new culture, to learn what our host family’s everyday lives are like, and to see the landscape of Germany and the surrounding countries. And the food… I am very excited for the food. I don’t really know what to expect, which is what makes me so nervous. I know this will be a life changing experience and a summer I will never forget.

Hallo, Deutschland!

Just a matter of hours!

My flight leaves tonight and it still feels unreal that I will be in Europe for 5 whole weeks! I will be leaving much behind but I am eager and ready to see what lies ahead. I've only been out of the country twice and have never traveled alone so I'm a little nervous about getting lost or losing important documents. I've been researching the different cultures and customs to try to be prepared! Which has increased my excitement to get the chance to be exposed to new things. I have always loved traveling and learning about other cultures so that definitely trumps any anxiety I have about the trip. Even with the excitement, I know I will get home sick no matter how much fun I have. I will miss my family, pets, friends and my bed! I am leaving my 2 dogs and cat with my parents for the 5 weeks. They aren't thrilled with the idea but I know they till take great care of them. I will be exchanging plenty of pictures with everyone to stay in the loop. Overall I can't wait to meet everyone and make lifetime memories!!

Adventure Time!

Naturally, I am writing this post about 10 minutes before I leave for the airport. And, I just realized my passport is in the copy machine at my Mom's office... so directly after this I will be headed that way before I leave for the airport. It is currently 2 AM, and I have never been so excited to wake up so early in my life.

Right now I'm not too nervous about the long day of traveling, except maybe having my luggage lost again-- flashback to traveling to Tanzania and being stuck wearing the same clothes for 3 days in the middle of summer in Africa. Hopefully that doesn't happen again. I'm most excited to be in another country for longer than 10 days with the opportunity to live with a host family and feel like a part of the community rather than just a transient tourist. This is what drew me to this program in the first place. A semester abroad didn't work with my school schedule, but 6 weeks during the summer was perfect, and I get the opportunity to backpack for almost 3 weeks afterwards. Honestly, that is what I am most nervous or anxious about. I'm happy to have these six weeks with other people to get used to the transportation system and traveling in Europe before venturing out on my own solo adventure in Spain and Italy.

My roommate, who was here for a semester, as well as another friend both have been on this program before and had a great time. I'm excited to take their stories and experiences and knowledge and create my own and see all the places they've talked about for myself. My expectations for this trip are: great food, new friends, and learning about and appreciating new cultures. All of which seem very doable. See you soon Germany!

Pre-Departure Statement: The Journey Starts

Two more hours till I leave for the airport. Then my journey starts. I am more than excited for the next five weeks! The time is here and I can’t wait! Packing. It is one thing I don’t like. Going into this adventure, I think it is one of my fears. To be honest, it always is my fear. The thing about packing for me is that I tend to over pack. I tend to take more than I need because I’m always “what if.” However, for this trip, I have decided to try not to over pack (key word try). I packed, then looked at my luggage and knew it was too much. So, I went over my things and started to take things out. Everything I took out, I felt like I needed it. But I did it! I did not over pack (I don’t think so). Now my fear is needing something I left at home.

I am a transfer student that came to Texas A&M in the fall of 2016; I transferred from a community college from my hometown. When I arrived, I knew I wanted to be a part of a study abroad experience. I learned about this program in the fall semester of 2016 through an email. It looked like something I would be interested in, so I looked into it more. I knew I wanted to study abroad and be a part of this particular study abroad program because I have always wanted to go to Europe and experience different cultures. One of the main things that brought me to this program is that it is primarily focused for students in the BIMS program and others related to it. Moreover, I like this program because it involves lots of travel throughout Germany, Austria and other countries. I can’t wait for the excursions! Right now, I really don’t know what to expect. However, I do expect to have a great time and meet lots of great people. Now it’s thirty minutes till I leave for the airport. I have to go. Till next time!

It's Time

It is so surreal how in just a little more than 24 hours we will be on a train from Frankfurt to Bonn. I have been counting down the days yet it still felt like this snuck up. I am so excited to see what all Germany, Austria, and all the excursion countries have to offer.

One of my friends sent me a link to Dr. Wasser's website last year about this trip and at the time I thought "wow that would be cool", but didn't actually think I would ever end up pursuing it more than that. Clearly I was wrong and frankly, I think this is one of the better decisions I've made in my college carrier. That same friend (who is on this trip) brought it back up around Christmas time, one thing led to another, and everything fell in line. German and European culture as a whole has always interested me and I think this will be an amazing opportunity to experience it. Honestly, I have absolutely no idea what to expect... But at the same time, I believe that is one of the most exciting things about this trip. Kinda like venturing into the unknown. One thing I plan on doing is "attempting" to pick up some German while we are over there. I guess we will see how that goes!

It's finally time!!!

As I sit here in bed, doing my blog post at the last minute (oops), it is completely surreal to me that I am leaving for Germany in less than 8 hours.... I am BEYOND excited, but at the same time admittedly a little nervous. Going to a foreign country as a 20 year old who will be somewhat on her own is a little frightening. I like to say I'm responsible, but then again sometimes I can't even remember to grab my keys before leaving the house, so who knows how this will all go. I probably didn't even remember everything that I needed to pack. Will I get lost in a foreign country? Maybe. But the journey ahead of me is going to be an amazing one, that I know for sure. I am definitely looking forward to getting to see a part of the planet that I have never see before. Bonn looks absolutely beautiful from the pictures I've seen, and I'm sure it will live up to my expectations. I'm excited to finally get to meet my host family, and also nervous because I hope they like me (honestly don't we all). I hope that I will take time to cherish every moment, because I know these next few weeks will be over before I know it, and I'll be back here in Texas sweating to death. The weather may actually be one of the things I'm most looking forward to. Being able to step outside and not sweat for once is going to be sweet. I also hope I actually pick up some German while I am there! The German language is one that has always puzzled me because of all the guttural noises involved and the immense amount of consonants in words. So knowing at least a few things would make me feel like I really accomplished something. Last but not least, I actually am very excited about what I'll be learning, aside from my cultural learning experience as a whole. I think I will learn a lot in a very short time period about medicine while really being immersed in the history, which I expect to be a unique experience. History has always been a subject that has fascinated me. Learning about the pioneers of medicine in the places that they lived and worked is far different from reading about it in a textbook, and in my opinion, a much better option! This is going to be a once in a lifetime experience, and I think I will learn a lot about myself and a lot about other cultures while I'm abroad. I expect to be somewhat changed when I come back, but definitely in a good way. With that being said, adios Texas! See you in a few weeks!

Did I remember everything?

So we're one day away from flying halfway across the world and the emotions I'm feeling are mixed to say the least. Anxiety, excitement, anticipation, joy, restless thoughts and clammy hands are just a few words I would use to describe my current state. Mostly, of course, it is unrelenting excitement as I anticipate boarding the plane and flying off to a foreign country to explore and wander for over a month. When I first looked into doing a study abroad program, I kind of just bounced the idea around in my head, never really expecting anything to come of it. I told friends I was thinking about it, to which I received the obligatory "do it!" from everyone who thought the idea was one I shouldn't even have to question. As I started to explore it more, I realized it was something I could actually put together, and all of a sudden the little thought I had at the start of the year was becoming a reality.

The truth is I didn't know this specific program existed when this all started. I had planned to do the full semester program and had started running down that path when I realized I would need to miss the spring semester of my senior year. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that missing my last semester at A&M was not something I wanted to do. While it may have been incredible, I would have missed all of the last chances to spend time with friends before we all split off and head into our lives, along with all of the Aggie traditions in my final hours at the university. Because of all of this, I thought I wouldn't get to go on a study abroad program at all, before my academic advisor casually tossed out the fact that a summer session program existed. I quickly looked over all of the information and my trip was restored. Now that I'm heading into it, I know I made the right decision. It's less time in the country, true, but also means I'll get almost all the benefits of study abroad without missing my last semester in College Station. I'm excited for the chance to experience a different culture and live with a host family as I immerse myself into everything Germany (and the rest of Western Europe) has to offer. Most of the fear stems from the obvious things: will I be able to get around, will I get along with the host family, will I be able to talk to people well enough, did I pack all the things I need, things of that nature. The reality is I'm pretty sure that they're fears that will vanish within the first couple of days of the trip. I think I'm most excited for the chance to grow and venture out away from family and the comforts of home. Sure, college is a step away from home and towards freedom, but the reality is I'm still just 3 hours from home if anything really goes wrong or if my family just wants to show up in College Station. Here, I'll be fully on my own (sort of) and I'll have to learn to work through problems by myself or with the other people going on the trip (also shout out in case any of y'all read this cause I think the group is pretty cool even though I haven't actually met most of you). At the end of the day, I'm just excited to get on the plane tomorrow and start this journey, and I'm sure most of this I'll have to figure out along the way. See you in a couple of days, Germany. Lets hope I didn't forget anything.

Hours Away

As I count down the hours until I leave the comfort and familiarity of the United States to embark on an adventure to a part of the world I have never experienced, I feel excited but nervous at the same time. While the past couple weeks have been filled with anticipation and the excitement of learning about things to do in Europe and Germany as well as planning trips, flights, and trains there are so many questions that I have about what it's going to be like. What's it going to be like living in a German household with a new family? Or relying entirely on public transportation? I wonder how different it's going to be and if I am going to be able to adjust and thrive in a different culture. I have never been to Europe and have hardly traveled outside of the United States if you count Canada and Mexico with my family. This summer I am going to be living in a different country, not in a resort or hotel for a week or two but completely immersed in the culture of a foreign country. Even though I am a bit nervous, I really cannot wait any longer. I can't wait to make new friends and become close with the other students in the program by adventuring throughout Europe with them. I can't wait for all the cool sights, history, and things to do in the many incredible cities I have planned to visit during my time there. There are so many things that I am very pumped to see and do and experience its hard for me to write it all down. I'm ready to stop thinking and guessing about what it's going to be like and to dive in.

See you in a couple days, Germany.

So It Begins

Tomorrow I board a plane to Bonn, Germany, for what I'm pretty certain will be the best month and a half of my life. I can't wait to get there and start experiencing everything, especially the food. I was drawn to this program in particular because I'm interested in medicine, but mostly because my ancestors are from Germany and Alsace. I hope to travel to some of the places they lived at some point during the program.
Last summer I was lucky enough to travel for the first time to Europe (France and Italy) and ever since that trip I've been dying to get back and experience more. Each time I travel to a different country my perspective on things shifts so much, so I'm prepared for a big transformation by the time I return to the states. It still doesn't feel real so I'm not very nervous yet, but my excitement is through the roof. I'm mostly concerned with making sure I take in everything I possibly can in the time I'll be there and taking every opportunity that comes my way. I also can't wait to meet everyone in the program and start making friends and future travel buddies. See you soon, Germany!

Time for adventure

Wow. Tomorrow's the day. After all these months of waiting, I'm boarding a plane to Germany and my mind is full of hopes and expectations. I've traveled to Europe twice before, only visiting Paris and London. I'm excited to dive into the culture by living with a host family, attending university, and taking a german class. The end result I hope to achieve from this program is to be able to 100% know what my passion is. I've struggled with knowing whether I want to work in human medicine or veterinarian medicine for a while. I know that many years of school still follow so I will fully embrace this learning/travel experience since I'm not sure if I will ever get this opportunity again. My parents lived in Germany for a few years in the 1980's so it makes me and them very happy that I get to embrace the culture they once lived in. I can't deny that I do have fears, some irrational.  Of course with terror attacks and traveling as a young adult woman not being the safest thing, Europe can be a little frightening. But with this fear I also know not to let myself worry so much or keep myself from living and experiencing Europe fully. I handle this worry by knowing that I will never travel alone and I'm sure I will feel much safer than I first thought. One irrational fear is my fear of flying. My anxiety has grown over the years so flying small european airlines isn't ideal; however, I know I have to do what I have to do to travel and everything will be okay. My last worry is homesickness. As much as I believe I am an adventurer at heart, I love being near to my family and friends. I know I will keep in touch but not spend too much time on the phone or contacting them. All in all, I may have fears and anxieties, but my passion for culture and knowledge trump them all. These next five weeks I know will hold some of the best memories of my life. I'm ready for this short chapter of my life. Let's do this.