The acceptance letter has finally arrived, and it has finally hit me that this is actually happening: I will be leaving for good ol' Germany in 5 months...what? I've never traveled out of the country before, so this endeavor will most definitely be a personal challenge. Luckily, I am more than ready to take this challenge and run with it. I believe that being an American abroad is a huge responsibility that I will have to uphold. Not only am I an ambassador for my school, but I am also (somewhat) of an ambassador for my home country. The possibility that I could be someone's first impression of an American is actually overwhelming to think about, but I think I can hold my own...hopefully.
Believe it or not, I actually do have some strengths that I can personally bring to the table when it comes to adapting and learning about the German culture. I've studied the German language for years, and throughout my studies I've not only had time to learn the language, but I've also had time to educate myself on most of the customs that are involved in the German culture. Being pretty comfortable in the language, I think I'll be able to hold my own when it comes to getting around town and talking to some of the people around me. However, I also plan on this being a challenge for me...speaking to a native German speaker is something I'm afraid of--fingers crossed that I don't offend anyone accidentally. Also, I find myself to be a pretty easy-going person in general. I think this will be a strength in the sense that I won't freak out if something doesn't go exactly according to plan. I am pretty lucky in the fact that Germany is relatively a low-context person, and I am very moderately placed on the high/low context scale, so I really am not too worried about adapting as much as I'm worried about the more simpler, basic things....like finding my way around and managing my finances. I believe my biggest challenge for me is my tendency to stay within my comfort zone. Deciding to go abroad was a huge step for me, and now that it's actually happening I'm continuously having to push myself to make sure I take in every moment of this adventure. I know for a fact that once I am in Germany I am going to have to constantly remind myself to just go and do things and stop worrying so much about...everything, really.
The main goal for me on this journey is to not be that American student that everyone jokes about...I want to avoid the " 'Murica lovin' southern girl" stereotype" at all costs. I want to prove to those who I meet while abroad that may assume I am just a hick from Tennessee who only believes whatever her Father believes, that I am in fact my own person. I make my own decisions, and I have a mind of my own. I can think critically and make a solid argument for myself. I believe if I can prove that not all Americans fall into the "'Murica" category, I will hopefully be able to open the eyes of the people I meet, which will allow them to view American students in a different, more positive, light.
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