I have officially been on American soil for just under a week!
Tracing back in time-
On July 5 at 5.00 in the morning I made my way to the Tegel airport in Berlin with my host family. A few of my close friends from school came to the airport at well, and a bunch of exchange students came. After saying goodbye to all of the people I had grown close to this year, I boarded my plane and took off at 7.15 to Amsterdam. During the flight I read all of the letters that my friends had written to me and looked through a photo album that was made for me. It was a very emotional time and I cried for a good 20 minutes. In Amsterdam I made my way through the airport in a confused haze- tears were in my eyes, I was in awe that this year was actually- OVER... After getting something to eat I got myself into shape, and really started to just focus on all of the amazing experiences that I had this year and it made the whole situation a lot better. The flight from Amsterdam to Detroit went pretty smoothly. On my last leg of the journey to Chicago, I talked to a girl my age about going home, and she really helped me prepare for my reunion with my parents.
Once I got through security I was veryyy excited to see my family. I walked down the escalator into the baggage terminal and slowly my family came into view holding a "welcome home" sign. Everyone looked so DIFFERENT! It was as if I was looking at the whole reunion from a bystander's perspective. I ran towards them and gave them all hugs... and it was GREAT to see them again after SOOOO long!
After the airport I went with my family to eat some great TGI Fridays- and it was so great to get free refills!!! After eating we drove home to Madison. I gave my family their presents that I had collected over the months- and then I surprised my friends later that night. I had barely ANY jet-leg the first few days home... it kicked in right as the adrenaline stopped about 2 days in. I just spent my first days adjusting to the new environment... unpacking, meeting with friends... and spending time with my family. It felt good to be back home.
On Friday morning my Mother and I drove up to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the Central States conference that I attended last year as an outbound student. It was quite different than what I experienced last year. I realllly did NOT feel like going to the meetings planed for us to get us "re-adjusted"... I much preferred just hanging out with other rebounds and talking about our life. Our past-present- and future. Probably one of the coolest moments was when I was with my old friends from last year and we were going around a circle saying how to say certain things in German, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, and Czech... not many friends can sit in a circle and do that! It was amazing to just reconnect with everyone after a year. I love how everyone changed so much... but they still are exactly who they were when they left. (that probably doesn't make sense at all).
So now I am home again. The weekend was like I have already said- GREAT... but it still sucks to not be able to hang out with everyone for a longer period of time! I guess it was nice when it lasted! As of now- I'm really trying to just live... I got a lot of stuff going through my head at the moment, but in the scheme of things... yeahh... I guess I am just trying to wrap my head around all the stuff I saw, all the people I met, and all of the relationships I made this year. I have no idea where I would be if I had never done exchange. I can not imagine my life without it.
I have some thinking to do.
Tracing back in time-
On July 5 at 5.00 in the morning I made my way to the Tegel airport in Berlin with my host family. A few of my close friends from school came to the airport at well, and a bunch of exchange students came. After saying goodbye to all of the people I had grown close to this year, I boarded my plane and took off at 7.15 to Amsterdam. During the flight I read all of the letters that my friends had written to me and looked through a photo album that was made for me. It was a very emotional time and I cried for a good 20 minutes. In Amsterdam I made my way through the airport in a confused haze- tears were in my eyes, I was in awe that this year was actually- OVER... After getting something to eat I got myself into shape, and really started to just focus on all of the amazing experiences that I had this year and it made the whole situation a lot better. The flight from Amsterdam to Detroit went pretty smoothly. On my last leg of the journey to Chicago, I talked to a girl my age about going home, and she really helped me prepare for my reunion with my parents.
Once I got through security I was veryyy excited to see my family. I walked down the escalator into the baggage terminal and slowly my family came into view holding a "welcome home" sign. Everyone looked so DIFFERENT! It was as if I was looking at the whole reunion from a bystander's perspective. I ran towards them and gave them all hugs... and it was GREAT to see them again after SOOOO long!
After the airport I went with my family to eat some great TGI Fridays- and it was so great to get free refills!!! After eating we drove home to Madison. I gave my family their presents that I had collected over the months- and then I surprised my friends later that night. I had barely ANY jet-leg the first few days home... it kicked in right as the adrenaline stopped about 2 days in. I just spent my first days adjusting to the new environment... unpacking, meeting with friends... and spending time with my family. It felt good to be back home.
On Friday morning my Mother and I drove up to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the Central States conference that I attended last year as an outbound student. It was quite different than what I experienced last year. I realllly did NOT feel like going to the meetings planed for us to get us "re-adjusted"... I much preferred just hanging out with other rebounds and talking about our life. Our past-present- and future. Probably one of the coolest moments was when I was with my old friends from last year and we were going around a circle saying how to say certain things in German, Spanish, Turkish, Japanese, and Czech... not many friends can sit in a circle and do that! It was amazing to just reconnect with everyone after a year. I love how everyone changed so much... but they still are exactly who they were when they left. (that probably doesn't make sense at all).
So now I am home again. The weekend was like I have already said- GREAT... but it still sucks to not be able to hang out with everyone for a longer period of time! I guess it was nice when it lasted! As of now- I'm really trying to just live... I got a lot of stuff going through my head at the moment, but in the scheme of things... yeahh... I guess I am just trying to wrap my head around all the stuff I saw, all the people I met, and all of the relationships I made this year. I have no idea where I would be if I had never done exchange. I can not imagine my life without it.
I have some thinking to do.
Welcome home Ben!!!
I know that everything is hard for you at the moment- everything is new and foreign again. I'm so glad I met you, and could share some of my amazing year with you. I think about you often and all the crazy things we use to do together- my piercings, drunk, walking around and just being ourselves.
I LOVE YOU BEN MAU
Und ich kann dir NIEMALS vergessen weil du mein Leben verändert hast...
Ben!
Germany misses you.
I miss you.
I think i will understand what you mean when i go home, but i like the fact you are looking everything from the good perspective.
do you know what i mean?
well, i guess thats what you always did.
Bennn im so proud of you!
and i see you soon ok?
Giulia