Goals for the trip: OVS Assignment 1

Goals to accomplish:

So recently I received my acceptance letter from ISEP saying that I will be attending the university in Gissen, Germany. I'm super excited because this means that I will be in the heart of one of the biggest World War II information centers. So while I'm there, I hope that I'll be able to get some really good primary sources on the issue or, if I'm lucky, an survivor of the time or two. Frankfurt will only be a short ride away as will the capital, Berlin, so I'll be in a central location that's rich with history and information. One of my goals is to be able to work on my thesis material, or at the very least be able to get some good information and notes about my topic. Another goal I have is to be able to work on my language and communication skills. I really want to be able to understand and communicate in German since I want to live there later on in my life. Another goal would be to be able to fully immerse myself in this other culture and widen my understanding and experience with things, such as food, music, politics, issues, anything culture related, that is outside of my comfort zone. After all where's the fun in going to another place and expecting it to be exactly like home? If I wanted have everything exactly like the place I just left then I would have just stayed at home~

Pre-Trip Feelings:
Right now I'm feeling very anxious. I know the trip still isn't for several months, but there is so much I need to do and get ready before then. I'm also feeling anxious because I'm really excited about this. I received the email and I swear I was spazzing over it for at least an hour. This is my dream, and I'm just so ready to get over there. I'm starting to look into the issues and things that are going on in the area in preparation and that only furthers my excitement. Something else I'm feeling would be nervousness. I'm usually a pretty shy person, and the thought of going over to a place where I'm going to have to get out there and make the first step is causing some anxiety.

Three things I want to do:
One thing I definitely want to do is get to the more Eastern side of Germany and see how it's changed since the pictures my dad took. My adviser, Dr. Astor, has shown me some of it and talked about how colorful and great east Berlin is now so I'm just dying to see it for my own eyes.
Another thing would be to get close enough to a friend or classmate that I can practice my written German and make a pen pal. It would be a great experience, and I don't want to come back not getting close to anyone by sticking in my comfort zone.
The last of the set would be wanting to actually learn about German history. I know that we're taught some of the 'important parts' of history, but in actuality they could be just a blip or a blurb of how things actually were and are. I want to see the age and the tiny little things that have been here for hundreds of years since we're only used to things that have been around for just over 200 years. It's mind boggling to think of how young the US is as a country, and I want to see some of that old age in Germany.

I'll probably think of more things later and also change my mind at least four more times, but so far these things have been pretty true for me~ Hopefully I'll still be excited about this later on in the future!