64 Days

I started my exchange year with exactly 331 days and 64 days are left until I will fly back home to Germany. As every other exchange student I was really excited about my year abroad. I was wondering how it will be, where I will live and all these and more thoughts were in my mind. I was nervous and afraid as well as happy and courious. And now I am here, in the US and I have two months left and I'm realizing how fast the time goes by. I thought about so much stuff before I even started my exchange year, made plans and had expectations. But in the end all of that didn't even matter, because the year turned out differently than I've ever imagined. Exchange is nothing like I expected it to be, and everything I wanted to be. And Exchange is something you can't understand or imagine unless you've been through it. When I look back to the last nine months I have a smile on my face. I had the most amazing experiences of my life. I came to a entire new country with a culture I've never experienced before. I began to live with a different family, in a different house, in a town I've never been before. I met the most lovely people which became close friends, a second family and people I will stay in touch with for a lifetime. I fell in love with California, with Arcata, places I've visited and with this amazing beautiful country. I fell in love with my homecountry. I appreciate everything I have in my beautiful hometown and things I miss which I don't have here. I got stronger relationships to my family and friends back home. They are always by my side no matter what happens and eventhough we are 8000 miles apart our cohesion is stronger than it ever has been before. I learned about a new culture, about my culture and one of the most important things is that I found myself. I know who I am and I know who want to be in the future. I got so much more mature, got whole different view on things and I realize the importantance of things I've never thought of before. But the last nine months were also the most hurtful and hardest months in my life. Away from home, away from my family and friends. Away from my daily routine, hobbies and school. I've been through lots of tears. Tears of sadness, joy and tears which are there for no reason. There were situations in which I could have given up, felt like a fifth wheel or just homesick. But in the end I got through it and now I have two more months left with new experiences and a time I will enjoy the most. I'm really excited about to go home, you guys can't even imagine , although I don't want to think about to leave. It will be hard to leave all my friends and my family here and start to live a life far away from them. I'm so thankful for all these great experiences so far and for the people who made my exchange year to probably best year in my life. I can definitely say that it was the best decision I've made so far and nobody can never ever take these memories, experiences and people away. Exchange is the best year of my life so far. Without a doubt but it's also the worst so far. Without a doubt.