Monday, August 16, 2010

Final Countdown to Take Off

Only 6 days left till I say good-bye to the Green Mountains of Vermont and head off to the bright lights of Berlin!!!

It's so crazy to think about, I mean it's actually happening! I'm finally going to Germany ... to live! It's so surreal, I mean this is something that I've always known I wanted to do - ever since I could fathom the fact that my grandmother was from another country I've wanted to go, to see where my family comes from, where I come from – and now it's finally happening!

But I won't lie, it hasn't been the easiest thing to prepared for. There were times this past month where I questioned, is all this preparation and stress really worth it? Between electrical adaptors, insurance, plane tickets and flight changes, not to mention the fact that I worked 3 jobs this summer to save money – it hasn't been easy. It was in fact stressful, extremely stressful at times – but was it worth it? I definitely think so.

I mean I am getting a once in a lifetime chance to not only visit, but live in another country. I am going to become so immersed within the culture, in a way that a simple vacation wouldn't provide. I am going to make new friends, visit old ones, and get to meet members of my family that I've never met before.

Speaking of my family, my mom and I have been e-mailing my great uncle Albert, who lives in Germany, and he is so excited to meet me. He wants me to come visit him in Mannheim (where my grandmother is originally from) for a few days, I guess he has all these things planned that he wants to do with me. :-)

I'm just so excited … for all of it! It's going to be a life-changing experience that I fully plan on embracing. And no matter how stressful these past few weeks may have been, I know that in the end it will totally be worth it, there is no doubt about that in my mind!