One Month Out

As July 31st gets closer and closer and I start getting ready for next year, its becoing a real challenge not to totally freak out. I had no idea that a person could both be anticipating something and dreading something so much at the same time. I'll be living in Spelle, Germany, which is a small town about two hours west of Hannover. It's in Lower-Saxony and about a thirty minute drive from the Netherlands. My host family has one daughter who is eleven. Orientation is in about two weeks in Chicago, and I am really excited to meet all the other American students going to Germany next year. One of my biggest concerns about the upcoming year is the language. I don't have a backround in German and the little bit of German that I do speak is underwhelming. But there's no better way to learn than from experience, right? I know that next year will be one of those huge experiences that I'll talk about for the rest of my life. Of course I'll miss my family and friends here in the states, but I am really looking forward to making new connections. Part of me wishes that I could stay here next year and still go to Germany to, but obiously I can't do that. I really hope that I can make the most of my experience next year, my main goal is to learn the language and the culture.