A visit to the BF

Once again...visiting my boyfriend this time. The last visit home wasn't long enough to combine a visit to my family and my boyfriend, so here I am, back again. The last couple of months flew by, and it's feels like no time at all has passed between us. Contrary to popular belief, long distance relationships can work. They are not ideal, and definitely require a lot of work, but as long as you love and trust each other, all can be ok. We e-mail each other almost every day and skype 2 or 3 times a week. This allows us to keep up with each other's lives and still feel close. Saying goodbye will be really hard, especially because this next time apart will be the longest we've ever gone apart, but I'm trying not to think about that right now...I just got here!! 


When time is passing as quickly as it seems to be right now, it's important to try and appreciate every moment and to really try and live in the moment. In the infamous words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast...if you don't stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it."

Goodbye Prague, hello new adventures!

Last day in Berlin...but won't be long until we're back again

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program

Snowboarding in the Swiss Alps, whoooooo!

Yup, that's right. Dream # 382....check. I went snowboarding last weekend with a very cool group of Couchsurfers. A girl from Russia studying in Munich. A girl from the Ukraine studying in Portugal. A guy from Portugal. A girl from Estonia (I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even know where Estonia was before I met Kriistina). A guy from Australia. And three Germans. What a group!

Phil, Svetlana and Berthold

Pedro, Berthold and Anna

Anna and Pedro, picture time!

It was probably one of the most expensive weekends of my life (what they say about Switzerland is true!) but it was worth it. I'm not kidding.....I felt like I was riding in heaven. Snowboarding in the Alps has seriously been a dream of mine for I don't know how long, and I did it! I did it!!! 

You should have seen the huge smile on my face as I flew down this mountain...I'm still smiling :)

Bad Ragaz, Switzerland

the cheesy smile

 

wooooooow, really??

Mt. Pizol, yay!

once again...thank you Gilman Scholarship Program, you're making my dreams come true!!
http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program

or on facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2204501850

Slacking on blog means I've been having too much fun ;)

I didn't realize I hadn't written in so long. What this amounts to is a wicked awesome time in my new town. I am now in Konstanz, Germany--a small town right on the border with Switzerland and Austria. I can walk to Switzerland. Awesome!!

I had really high hopes in coming to a new town. New roommates, new classmates and a new start. I am enrolled in "März Kurs" here at the Uni Konstanz, which is a combination of an intensive German language course every morning for 3 hours a day (ugh!) and orientation into our new university and new city. In Germany, this means lots and lots and lots of paperwork. Thank goodness there is such a wonderful team of people here, helping us through it all step by step.

What I have found is that people (ie the Erasmus students) are the same no matter where you go. Cliques are forming, Americans are clinging to Americans, French to French, Italian to Italian, with little outer-group mingling.

But, I've stuck to my word and have really put myself out there. I've participated in excursions, I've shown up to parties without knowing hardly anyone (which has included that record-screeching-to-a-halt moment where everyone shuts up and stares at you when you walk through the door...), and I've become an active member of the couchsurfing group here in Konstanz.

It's been hard for me to put myself out there, because by nature I am shy and introverted. But this trip was all about overcoming my fears, so I have really walked to the edge of the diving board and jumped in (sorry for the cheesy cliche, it just fits somehow). And I've been having such a great time! Things are getting easier as I am becoming more familiar with the city and developing real friendships.

I'm seeing and doing things I have never thought possible, and I owe it all to study abroad.

What are you waiting for!?!? :)

from the top of the church, Konstanz

Konstanz, my new home!

the beautiful Bodensee, ahhh sehr schön!!

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program
or check them out on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2204501850

Which Way to the Eiffel Tower?

So I went home for my break. I don't recommend doing that, not for any mind blowing reason, like you will forget everything you've learned, or you will never want to go home again. Nothing at all like that. Just merely for the fact that you are studying ABROAD, which means not going home on your break. When will you ever have this chance again??

That being said, I did go home for break. My parents really really wanted me to, and no matter how old I get, I'll always be a sucker to my parents' famous guilt trips. And it was great to see my family and old friends. Oh how quickly the time went, and now check it out...I'm back in Germany, but in a new town, attending a new university, making new friends and back on the adventure trail once again.

One cool thing about the trip home was that the trip back included a 4 hr layover in Paris. Mmmmhmm....if you're thinking what I'm thinking, you're thinking Eiffel Tower. Yup, I don't know french, I've never been to Paris, and I was traveling alone but somehow I figured out the Paris metro system and found my way to the Eiffel Tower!!

*pat pat* (that's me patting my own back)

Before you start thinking I'm so egomaniac, I just want to say that 6 months ago, I would have NEVER been able to figure that out, let alone have the guts to try something like that. Yay for study abroad!!! And thank you again to the Gilman Scholarship Program!!

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program

Not As Weird As I Thought

So. I am back. I'm in the midwest. With my parents.

I thought it would be SO weird to be back in the States after 8 months of Europe. And I must say, it is disappointingly not that strange to be back. All the signs are in English, all I hear around me is English. I can joke around with cashiers and servers again, because I know the language well enough to do that. I have Burt's Bees chapstick again. I can watch Hulu again. All the money is one color and one size. Out of everything that is different in Europe, the 2 things that feel very strange now are the look of the money and the size of the power outlets.

Not that mindblowing. I'm going to chalk this up to reverse-reverse-upside-down and backwards culture shock. After living in San Francisco for 5 years, coming back to the midwest is always a bit of a shock. So there's that.

And being with my parents again is like hanging out in a time capsule. Their lives haven't changed at all, and they don't really get that mine has. I have seen and done and experienced so much, but they can't really comprehend that. It's like I'm telling them about a movie I saw....whether it's about California, Germany, or anywhere else in the world, it just isn't going to really affect them as it has affected me.

Also, I feel like I've moved around so much in the last 8 months that my head is still reeling. At this point, I feel lucky to be in a place long enough to unpack my bag. I have been getting used to new beds, kitchens, bathrooms and roomies for the last 8 months straight.

Europe seems like a dream--fuzzy and unreal. Maybe it'll hit me when I go back??? Who knows? This is definitely not what I expected...but then again, things aren't very fun when they go like you think they will, right?  :)

Going "home"???

I am going "home" tomorrow. I actually have to wake up in 6 hrs so this one's gotta be short. My parents really wanted me to come home for Christmas, but I was a bit selfish and wanted to stay in Europe for the holidays. When am I going to get the chance to do this again, right?

The compromise, however, was that I come home to visit on my semester break. Well, the day has arrived. I finished the last of my finals a few hours ago (whoo! what a week!!) and now I am all packed, set, and ready to go...to Michigan.

I've been in Europe for the last 8 months, so going back to the States is weird enough as it is. All the signs will be in English. I'll have to pay in dollar bills, which are only one boring color. There are $1 bills, as opposed to the 1 and 2 euro coins. I will be able to understand everyone who speaks to me. I will be able to watch Hulu again.

Good god what am I getting myself into??? I've lived in California for the last 5 years, so just going back to Michigan to visit my parents every year for Christmas is a culture shock in itself.

Going from Europe to Michigan is going to be....well, I have no idea how it's going to be. I'll let you know!!

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program

Only looking forward...

I am 4 days away from leaving Tübingen and I absolutely cannot wait. Do I tell you what you want to hear? Or do I tell you the truth?

The truth is...the last 5 months here in Tübingen have not been the happiest for me. Sort of a roller coaster. Big ups and big downs. I know I must take some of the blame for not trying to burst the California bubble earlier, but I feel a lot of the fault can be placed on the program I am enrolled in.

There are 54 of us Californians here together in Tübingen. This is a small town, so there is no escaping. Maybe half of them live in my area of student housing, and most of the rest live together on the other side of town. I have a Californian on the floor above me, one on the floor below me, and ONE INSIDE MY FLAT. We were supposed to be "immersed" in the culture here......I am definitely not supposed to have a Californian as a roommate.

We also did not get to pick our own classes. The program consists of a strict set of classes that are made up of either all Californians (where we all speak English the whole class) or mostly Californians. The few classes we have with other students are the language classes, where thankfully we speak German, but more than 50% of these classes are still made up of Californians.

There is no escape. Some of them are fine with this. They live near each other, they have class together, they go out together, they travel together. And always, mind you, speaking English. Not my idea of immersion.

The other MAJOR problem is that I am 34. And everybody else is 20. I know it is unconventional for someone my age to be enrolled in a study abroad program, but I did it to try and broaden my horizons and put myself out of the comfort zone to see how far I could go. And I can't go ANYWHERE when I am chained to 53 other twenty-year olds, whom I cannot relate to at all.

So, I am very much looking forward to next semester. I get to start over. New city, new people, new roommates, new classes (that I get to choose). And hardly any Californians, whew!

There was absolutely nothing I could do about the classes, but believe me, it wasn't for the lack of trying. My advice to you....if you are looking to study abroad, find out exactly what the program entails. Especially if you are older, like I am. Honestly, it's been a personal hell trying to fit in with the 20 yr olds (which has been my mistake this whole time--I actually tried to fit in, instead of branching off and doing my own thing).

Most programs aren't as structured as mine. There are some students here from Connecticut, Michigan, and Oregon, and their programs are completely different. There are not so many of them here together, they get to choose their own classes, and they have a real chance of immersing themselves into the new culture.

On the other hand, my program is so structured that we didn't have any hassles getting here. The Visa process, matriculation, registration for classes and registration with the city were all taken care of for us. They even opened our bank accounts for us. Other students have to do all this on their own.

But you can learn a lot by being forced to handle things on your own, so even if your program doesn't baby you like mine did, don't let that scare you away. You'll figure it out!!

Well, I guess I have learned my lesson the hard way. If the roommates suck, move. If you don't like the people you are surrounded by, reach out. I have 5 more months left, so let's see what I can do!

http://www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program