Pep Talk for Students Studying Abroad
After flying 21 hours (exhausting by the way) I arrived in the Koeln airport to start orientation for my high school abroad program in Germany. I met up with an Italian boy on my flight, his name was Matteo, a boy from Brazil named Guilerhme, and another Italian boy named, Alessio. We learned a lot about each other and our different countries in the fifteen minute trip between the airport and the hostel. For those of you who don’t know a hostel is like a hotel for young people. There are four to a room, two bunk beds, and an itty-bitty bathroom.
Over the three(ish) days we were here we learned German history, culture, traditions, grammar, and we were always learning something new about each other. Everyday we were allowed three meals in the cafeteria, and I can’t speak for everyone, but I never sat with the same group of people twice. There are a lot of eccentrics, Rebecca and TONS of Italians (they are like half of our group.) and many Brazilians.
Today, we wrote letters to our future selves, and I don’t know if I will feel the same about what I have written at the end of my journey, but I look optimistically at the start. We are about to go our own ways, meet our perspective new host families and we are all terribly sad (but also super excited!!!!!!!!). Some of us will leave by plane, some will be picked up, but for those of us trying to take the train… we are elated by the mystery. See… train workers tomorrow will be going on strike from 4:00-9:00. SO, that’s gonna be fun. (Sarcasm!) We are all in the dark about what will happen, even those who have reliable transportation.
We have been prepared, but it is like Columbus discovering America. We will be discovering new things, trying new foods, and far from our roots/parents. (Some more than others.) But we are strong. Only 90% will get homesick and go through culture shock!!!! (I am planning to be in the 10%.) But we will climb these mountains as if they were the Alps. (Which I hope to be doing sometime this year.) And we will come out on top. We will adapt. And we will never be the same!
Photo caption for above image: Here are my roommates. From left to right: Me, Sylvianna (Italian), Giulia (Italian), and Paola (Mexican).
