A Year in One Suitcase…Here I Go

Hallo alle!  I’m Hannah, a Valpo junior from Pittsburgh, PA double majoring in German and Spanish.  I’ll be spending the 2013-2014 school year studying in Tübingen, Germany, a small city in the province of Baden-Württemberg about an hour away from Stuttgart.  I’m an incurable language nerd with a passion for travel, and I feel so blessed to study at a place like Valparaiso University.  At Valpo, I’ve been able to have unforgettable international experiences that have improved my language skills and allowed me to see places that, before college, I could only dream about and write on my bucket list.  Last summer, I spent two months serving as an intern at the YMCA in Valparaiso, Chile.    In Chile I made great friends, improved my Spanish, and really learned how to live in and experience another culture firsthand (Want specific details? Read my blog!).  This past winter, I also had the opportunity to tour China performing with VU’s orchestra (I play cello :)).  Seeing places like the Great Wall and Hangzhou’s West Lake were once-in-a-lifetime experiences that I know I wouldn’t have gotten at any other school.

Now that I’ve told you a little about myself and how much I love Valpo, it’s time to get to the reason you’re reading this blog which is…THAT I LEAVE TO GO TO GERMANY FOR A YEAR TOMORROW.  Yes, it’s now 12:14am on August 28th, and after a summer of working 40 hour fast food weeks and wondering how I am even going to begin to prepare for so long a trip, the countdown to the 29th is almost over and I am excited, stressed, and in little bit of denial that I will be gone for a whole year, which is pretty terrifying.  But I’m not terrified in a bad way at all; I have the typical scared/anxious feeling that comes from knowing that you are entering an experience from which you will come out a changed person with a new perspective.  I will miss my family and friends at home and on campus so much, but I know that I’ll gain and experience more from going to Germany than I can even comprehend right now.  Amidst all the changes and confusion that come from living in a new country and learning a new language, God never changes. No matter where I am in the world, I know that I have a home in Christ and that He will care for me wherever I go and lead me to where I can best serve Him.

So now to the real hard part of studying abroad for a year…PACKING.  Two days ago I couldn’t have told you how I planned on fitting a year of my belongings in one suitcase, but it’s finally been done!  I figured that no matter how hard I try, I won’t be able to bring enough clothes or American toiletries, etc. to last me a year.  If I forget or need something, I’ll easily be able to get it in Germany (as if I needed another excuse to go shopping).

The next time you hear from me through this blog, I’ll be on my adventure, which is a scary and exciting thought!  I’m planning on making this blog more than just writing.  Maybe some video blogging to come soon?  Check back soon for another post and follow me on Twitter @HannahinGermany.  I’ll be tweeting my study abroad happenings throughout each day as well as announcing new blog posts!  Bis bald!

Peace,

Hannah