I can’t help but feel a bit of sadness as I start to write, as it has been with so much joy and gratitude that I have been able to share my experience going abroad with you all.
I’ve been able to travel more since arriving here than I ever had before. I’ve gone hundreds of kilometers by train, plane, and bike and still have not even gotten to explore more than 10% of Germany. When I sat back and considered it, I really haven’t even gotten to explore my own country that much. In the 19 years I lived in the United States I never got to see more than 20 of those states total, and that isn’t even considering that I’ve only driven through places like South Carolina. I can say that I know states like Minnesota and Arkansas, but the breadth of my knowledge only goes so far.
This brings me to my next point, and that is the impact immersing yourself in another place can have. In the same way I can’t really know the American South or Midwest without living there, there are countless things I’ve learned from drinking coffee and being friends with Germans that I never otherwise would have.
