Reflections from Jessika L.

Germany has been on my top five places to see for a while and when the opportunity arose for me to go on this trip, I was immediately interested.  Being the only student that had not taken German as a language in school, I was worried about how I would fit in and if I would be able to understand anything that would be going on.  I was also slightly turned off by going because it would mean that I sacrifice a month of my last summer home before college.  However, Frau Asch convinced me and I realized that this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Making that decision to come was the right choice because while I left my US home and family, I gained a new home and family in Germany.  The people I stayed with, the group as a whole, and the sights and experiences I had on this trip have truly changed and enriched my life. 

When I think about my host family, I cannot help but smile.  Tom, Petra, and Bianca were warm and welcoming from the second we met.  From making a welcome sign for my arrival to our last meal together in Germany, they made me feel like I was a part of the family.  I do not think my trip would have been as amazing had it not been for them.  Weekend excursions to Austria and around Munich were always adventures filled with laughs.  Short trips to go get ice cream turned into deep conversations about everything from life to funny faces made by those at the table.  Just a few days into the exchange, we were already calling each other long lost family.  The relationship we built in just 25 short days is going to last forever and I cannot imagine not keeping in contact with them or not seeing them again. 

My German friends are also important people I will never forget.  There was never a dull moment on our group trips to the mines and Chiemsee.  Yes; it got awkward and people did not get along all the time, but the camaraderie we shared was something truly special.  Something more special than the group as a whole was the closeness that developed amongst my fellow American students and I.  Again, we were not always bright and cheery but we were there for each other.  Stupid jokes became funny and the beautiful country around us was amplified by my friends.  Before this trip, I was not extremely close with the others on this trip but because of the exchange, I made friendships that will last me a lifetime both in US borders and beyond.  

Lastly, the immersion itself was something totally new and memorable.  Seeing important and well known landmarks such as the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz or the Brandenburg Tor in Berlin was amazing.  I had heard stories about how breathtaking and cool these sights were, but the stories could not compare to the actual locations.  Being in these exciting places definitely lightened the mood after also going to places like Sachsenhausen or Nuremburg where horrifying historical events occurred.  Touring not only exposed me to a new and beautiful country but it gave me an opportunity to experience places or events I learned about in school.  Being the nerd that I am, being able to tie my studies to where I was standing gave even deeper meaning to the trip.  - Jessika Lackie