I can’t believe a week and a half has gone by since I said goodbye to Germany! Truthfully, this experience has made me realize how lucky and fortunate I am to be American and how many wonderful opportunities my country offers. I guess they don’t call it the land of the free for nothing. But as the saying goes, “You must immerse yourself in another culture, to truly understand your own.”
While I was in Germany, I followed the cultural ways as much as I could because I figured while in Germany, do as the Germans do. But in doing that, I felt that I lost a little bit of myself. I, naturally laugh at everything quite loudly and felt that my laugh echoed in this European country. Everyone is so quiet and truthfully it made me want to scream! One always has to follow the rules and the way the education system is run just breaks my heart. I would gladly go back as a tourist and traveler but to live, it’s not the place for me.
It’s nice to be able to breathe this fresh Colorado air again. I love the Colorado sunshine, seeing the mountains in the distance and that it’s warm outside during December. Oddly, I miss the German language. In Germany, I could speak both English and German and be understood and here if I accidently reply in German people just look at me strange. I miss using the language everyday and having people reply but I also love having an in depth conversation in my own language again! One of those can’t have your cake and eat it too examples.
Things that I loved/miss about Germany:
*The transportation system- I loved that I lived right next to the train station and go anywhere at any time without the use of a car.
*The forest- riding my bike or running in it! And that people were so active!
*The heated floors-so cozy!
*The chocolate J
*My family (of course) esp. my cousins! Wish I could bring them back with me…sigh
*Whenever a German found out I was American they would always end with, “Have a nice day!” J
I will always be thankful for being able to live in Germany for that time I did but as Dorothy says, there is no place like home! It’s great to be back in Colorado and see everyone again-my kiddos from Lion’s Den, all my friends from STM as well as the High schoolers and my family. Tomorrow I travel to my favorite place in the whole wide world: Gering, Nebraska and am so ecstatic to see my crazy huge familia and celebrate Christmas with them!
I do, plan on continuing my travels and am going to Belize in April! I really can’t wait for that adventure but for now Nebraska is where my heart is heading!
Merry Christmas!
All my love,
L
Hi Lauren,
ReplyDeletemy name is Rebekka and I'm from Germany (studying in Heidelberg, not far from Stuttgart actually :).
I found your blog, while searching for places to got to with my American exchange student (and really got some new ideas , thanks for that!)She kind of doesn't seem to like it here, so I'm glad you did !
But I'm writing this comment because there was something striking (to me) in some of your texts that I haven't understood, but really would like to: what is it, that makes you say "the US is 'the land of the free'" ? I always thought that this was a saying used in comparison to the 17th-century-Europe or to modern undemocratic countries. But you're using it in comparison to modern Germany (so Germans are less free?).
I SERIOUSLY don't want to offend or correct you, I just really would like to know your reasons for this usage ! I'd be glad if you answered, even if it's just very short!
Grüße aus Deutschland,
Rebekka
bekka89@web.de