Why Do All Good Things Come To An End?

When I arrived in Germany in September 2017, I had very specific expectations of what would be my year abroad. However, I’m very happy to say that this year has been nothing like what I was expecting and that is because of the wonderful people I have met here.

The winter semester introduced me to many interesting and fun people, who I spent all of my time with, whether it was exploring Remagen, visiting Bonn or Cologne or travelling to a new country. Having friends from multiple countries and cultural backgrounds allows for so many different experiences, opinions and ideas. I was able to learn a lot about my own country and cultural identity while spending time with people who grew up differently than I did. For the first six months, I became even more aware of the different ways of approaching and interpreting a situation. This also helped me with integrating into the German culture and better understanding how to perform simple tasks or interact with people. The experiences I had in the winter semester were exciting, insightful and I’m very grateful for being able to spend this time with my friends.

However, the summer semester has proven to be a completely different experience. The weather is much better and the atmosphere of the campus, Remagen and the people are more positive and warm. Since the nice weather is here, you can usually find me by the Rhein or at the pool with my friends, and on the weekend we like to visit local festivals together in Bonn, Koblenz or Cologne. Remagen is an absolutely beautiful city during the summer and you can see this by sitting by the Rhein or just by walking down the street and seeing all the beautiful trees and flowers. Living and studying abroad for one year has pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to create friendships and experiences that I could not have had if I wasn’t willing to try new things and visit new places. A year abroad is something that everyone should experience, whether you are an introvert or an extrovert. No matter how you interact with people, you will go home a different person, and whether you are more mature, or patient by the end of your stay, it will be worth it.

With that being said, I’m very grateful to everyone at home, especially my family, who was supportive of my decision to live and study in Germany for a year. I would also like to thank Sprachen/ Internationales for accepting me as an international student and intern, and teaching me new life and professional skills. Lastly, I would like to thank all of the people I met, but most importantly the friends I have made and spent the last year with. You have all made this experience something I will never forget and I look forward to seeing everyone again.

My final thoughts of Remagen are nothing but positive, but to the next person, I would say to leave your comfort zone, remember that you also have to sleep, and don’t worry, the winter will be over soon. I will miss this little city/town/village very much and I hope that I can visit here again soon. Thank you everyone for this amazing year, you all made it worth very much to me!