The last two weeks have unleashed a veritable flash flood of change in my life in Germany. The contrasts between my life in Berlin and my life now in Bayern can only be properly described in the stark contrasts of opposites. From a seemingly endless plain of flatness, to the soaring Alps spread out before me. From the city life of Berlin to the village life of Bernau. From the odd house cat as the largest animal in sight, to a dairy farm. From the strictly Hoch Deutsch school to the rapid Bayrisch coming at me from all quarters. It is completely different now. But, for me personally, it is better. I am happy here. There is space. There is nature. There is peace. And my host family is amazing.
The journey to Bayern was quite an adventure courtesy of the lovely people at Deutsche Bahn. The trip started at ten in the morning lugging a 30 kilogram suitcase on a bus and ended at a little past one in the morning when I finally arrived to my new home. There was a strike. Again. Every time I need to take a train across the country there is a strike. Thank you Deutsche Bahn. Thank you. An eight hour trip was turned into fifteen.
Up to this point my time in Germany has been a roller coaster in an innumerable amount of ways. Just recently, I have been hit at random times by longings for the oddest things. It has been everything from ice to marching band. Seemingly tiny parts of life at home are what I have missed the most. You would think that it would be huge obvious things, but its not. It is that feeling of being comfortable. It is that assurance that you know what is going on. When you lose those confidences, you feel lost. You start to feel as if you have no control over what is happening around you. It is both immensely humbling and scary. It is not any normal form of fear though. It is the fear of the disconnect. It is an ever present canyon rim a few bad days to your right as you walk along this lonely road.
It is with this that you truly realize the value of your friends. The ones back home that still take time to talk to you. The new Germans that have taken you in. Your host family. And the other exchange students. The people that truly understand what you are going through and will put up with you at two in the morning talking about your lack of bread. I am so thankful for them. They have made this experience one for a lifetime.
Oh yeah, school happened. It was school.
I would like to thank all the people in Berlin that helped make my experience amazing. My host family. My friends from school who were absolutely amazing and made me feel like I belonged. My language school class and the other classes who let me go out with them. And of course the other exchange students that I had unforgettable adventures with. Danke schön. I hope we meet again soon.
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