Retrospective Blog

Even after being back from Germany for little more than a month, there has not been one day that I have not thought about my time there and the people that I met. I got to see some of "the group" a couple weeks ago, and I enjoyed reminiscing about our adventures and just talking to people that I got to know very well through our continuous interaction for the five week duration of the trip. This experience really has changed my outlook on the world, and I have gained a much deeper appreciation for the cultures of other countries and areas as well as for those that can speak multiple languages. I would like to become better at the languages that I am familiar with and possibly learn another one altogether.
I am now keenly aware of how unsettling it can be to arrive in a foreign country not really knowing anyone and not speaking the language. I am inexpressibly grateful to those people that went out of their way to make my time in Germany and Europe a truly wonderful experience. A week after I arrived back in the United States I went to the International Student BBQ that I was emailed about. At this event I met many students experiencing the same things that I had experienced just six weeks prior. They were uncomfortable, a little awkward and looking for something familiar. I met four or five students from Europe that are studying here for a semester or a year, and I have tried to help out a little in making their experience here as memorable as mine was in their part of the world. I have subsequently met at least ten other students from Europe that are studying at A&M, and I have had a great time getting to know them and answering their questions about Texas and the United States. While they are much better equipped than I was for a stint in a foreign country I know that it is comforting sometimes to have someone that is a resident of the host country that can take you somewhere or help you solve a problem. Nils did this multiple times for all of us and went above and beyond to ensure that we had a good time and any problems we encountered were handled even when the problems were the result of something stupid that we had done. I have emailed my host parents a few times, and I hope to remain in contact with them as time goes on. They are truly remarkable people, and I hope one day that they are able to come to the United States, and I can return some of the hospitality that they have shown me.
I have also gained a more acute awareness regarding world events. I find that I often look at world news and see what else is happening in the world despite the sense of isolation and desensitization that I think many Americans acquire by being so geographically distant only experiencing our forms of media (TV, sports, movies, etc.). I am more aware of how Americans and Texans are perceived by the rest of the world, and I think that has made me better able to understand some of the issues the rest of the world has with our culture. I cannot wait to return to Europe and especially to Germany to visit with the friends (American sense of the word) that I made while staying there. I again would like to thank Dr. Wasser, Nils, and all of the AIB staff that worked so hard to create such an amazing program that is enlightening in so many ways.