An Update

So life is fabulous, although not being in Germany feels like there is a huge chunk missing from my life. I've done alright adjusting and handling the reverse cultural shock. Thank goodness for the invention of Skype. I chat weekly with my lovely host family. I miss them so much. The hardest things in adjusting back to USA life were to remember to always speak English (since nobody understands German around here) and to get used to eating American food. I have adapted and kept so many German cultural things in my style of life...biggest one is eating the European style with the fork in left hand and knife in right hand. Also, I am constantly cooking German meals with recipes from Heidi's kitchen.

So, I'm currently in Provo, Utah attending Brigham Young University. As of now, I'm planning to major in Neuroscience and minor in Harp Performance... we'll see where that takes me. I started my new job this past Monday, and I start classes this coming Monday. I am very excited to begin the next adventurous chapter of my life.

Home, but different....

After 26 hours of traveling, I'm HOME! But it's different, or I'm different. So that just makes it hard.

A friend from my CBYX group wrote this, but it describes my exact feelings:

but on top of that ... my heart is still in germany. i'm trying so hard to just be brave and it'll all be ok. i'm trying to just take in all the good and leave out anything i now consider bad

it's soooo hard to get off the plane and hear english exclusively and be looked down upon for speaking something else, it's hard to throw all your trash away in one container, it's hard to see friends you've come to realize things about that you don't want to, it's hard to sleep in a bed that is not my own in a room without rolladas in a house that is huge and has air-conditioning but no heating. it's all so very hard .. and it's only the beginning

Also, adding something, it's hard for me to speak only English. I can no longer throw in those German words and still be understandable. It was really hard while I was traveling too. When saying thank you or asking a question to strangers, it naturally came out in German. That was followed by a weird/confused look from the stranger. Oops.

Well, time to start a new chapter in my life. I hope I'll get through this reverse cultural shock quickly. :D

Time is running out...

Can't believe this. I'm really going home. It can't possibly be true. Everything is so surreal. I don't even know what to do with myself. My emotions are unexplainable....just everything mixed together.

My host family, my life here in Germany was so perfect. Everything I had expected happened, and more. It really couldn't have been better. I'm so very grateful for how blessed I am.


My family:

Now I have to go through Reverse Cultural Shock. That'll be an interesting experience...

Neverlands? no...not quite

Netherlands!!!

I had so much fun this past weekend with my host family. We spent four days in Westkapelle, Netherlands.


We stayed in a hotel on the beach. It had a heated pool, which was good cause the ocean was supercold! (But that didn't stop me from swimming in the ocean. And naturally I made Laura go with me...or perhaps I dunked her...)
And I had lots of fun playing with Sammy. She loves playing in the water.



Weather was fabulous! Lots of sunshine. (I have a wonderful tan to prove it.)

We also visited Middelburg, a city nearby. Tons of sailboats and ships everywhere. Also lots of old buildings. It was beautiful.

And check out all this cheese! The Netherlands are famous for their cheese.

Saturday night....dream come true
Yep, we rode horses on the beach. Galloped through the water! So AMAZING!


I loved this past weekend. It was an great finish to the end of my year here in Germany. I'm so grateful for my wonderful host family. I couldn't have had it better. :D

Great picture of Heidi and Dieter. They are awesome people!

And of course Laura and I...

Meine tolle Schule: Gymnasium Schloss Hagerhof

Today was my last day of school here in Germany. I'm glad to be done with it and move on to university, but I'll miss all my wonderful friends!

So, now to the pictures of my beautiful castle school.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to go to this amazing school. I learned so much, met tons of amazing people, and had loads of fun!