Adventure - It's About Knowing Who I Am

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This weekend will be number 3 for me here in Germany and I feel like I'm finally settling in and finding my place. At first it was really scary. I felt like I didn't belong and didn't really know what to do with myself. My first night was awful. I kept waking up and not being able to figure out where I was and I felt so sick. Jet leg is terrible! And of course the nerves were the worst. My stomach was in knots for the first few days. Now I feel like I'm with friends. I totally lucked out getting a great host family!

My first weekend was pretty awful too. I got more homesick than I've ever been in my whole life and I was so scared. It was, in hindsight, a really bad idea to travel my first weekend. And meeting Julie for the first time at a wedding on that first weekend was not a good idea either. I didn't really think about it before it all went to hell but now that I look back on it I think, wow, I made a great first impression there! (That's sarcasm by the way...) I didn't know anyone, didn't know where I was, didn't speak the language. It's kind of no wonder I had a complete mental breakdown. And of course once I finally figured out how to call my mom my phone died and I'd forgotten to pack my charger! So my poor mother had me sobbing on the phone for all of 3 minutes before it went dead and then she had to wait an entire day before she heard if I was okay again! I'm so sorry, Mom! That must have been so awful!

There's always something that goes terribly wrong on these crazy adventure of mine. It's to be expected really. But I made it through this one and all the one last time I was in Europe and I know I can take whatever comes at me. I'm still scared about traveling alone, mostly just because I don't speak the language fluently here or in Paris where I will also be going solo. And I'm completely freaked about staying in my first hostel dormitory, but hey, I have to try it at least once. It's 30 euros cheaper after all!

So this weekend will see my first hostel stay - Berlin. I'm hoping to do a late walking tour around the city, although it's supposed to rain so I may end up holed up in some bakery eating my weight in German bread. That actually sounds pretty good, come to think of it...and then Sunday I'm spending the day in Spreewald with Kelly. I think it's so weird that I ended up in Germany at the same time as my German professor from when I was in college! I can't wait to go to Spreewald. It's famous for its pickles! It's a pickle town! How cool is that?

Last Friday I got to do a little sightseeing with my host dad in Tangermunde - a city that is over 1000 years old! It was a nice short little trip that ended with ice cream. Always good!

It's funny, I've only been here 3 weeks and I feel like I've already learned so much about myself. The 2 biggest things - 1. I'm much braver than I thought; and 2. my family is the most important thing in my life. Adventures are great and I look forward to every one that I have while I'm here. But I don't ever want to live in a place where I can't go see my immediate family any time I want. Even if Springfield is not exciting, not particularly tolerant of difference, and the weather is NUTS, it's worth it to be with the amazing people that I love.

LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL! XOXOXOX

~Andrea

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Comments

[Mom]

To my sweetie, All I can say is you are so very brave and I am extremely proud of you!!!! Love you, Mom XOXO

[AndieMW]

Aw! sorry I just now saw this, Mama! Love and miss you so much! 9 days!!!