As the semester is ending and the seasons are changing, I constantly feel like my emotions are changing as drastically as the weather. In one sense, I am in the most historically and culturally rich center of the world, and on the other, I am as far from my family and everything I love most. I know that I am not the only one that has been feeling this way within my group, so either the snow brings about a blanket of homesicknessness or it is just that final stretch to push through.

Finding enjoyment in the small things

Probably the most difficult part about this last 11 day break we just had was that it was over Thanksgiving. My family isn’t even a big celebrant of this national holiday, but I found myself missing turkey (which I don’t even like), stuffing, and my grandma’s pumpkin pie. I kept trying to shake off this whole idea of homesickness being the world traveler that I know am – I need to learn to control these emotions. However, there is no easy button on this one. So rather than dwell on about all of the delicious delicacies (repetition purposeful) and wish for home, I have to just accept the fact that home will be waiting for me after my European adventures. After all, I have some time to go.

If I was starting a countdown, I would have three weeks and one day left on this continent. I cannot imagine missing out on any upcoming opportunity because of a sour attitude, so this was the last of it. The last surge of homesickness is leaving with this blog post. Instead I will plan for three more countries: Austria, Portugal, and Spain. While everyone else in my group leaves for the good old USA on December 14^th, I will be staying a week longer with my boyfriend to go gallivanting across the west coast, and I couldn’t be more excited.

In that one extra week, we are traveling to Faro, Lisbon, Seville, Madrid, Segovia, and Barcelona… so there is a lot of planning to be done! Energy devoted to homesickness before is now being transformed to energy of enjoyment. There would have been too many experiences I would have missed out on if I did this before, and it makes no sense to start now. So Vive l’Europe! I took French in high school, so it will have to do.

There have not been many challenging activities that I have had to overcome while studying abroad in Germany; I was only really expecting some home sickness and difficulties with relations, but this past week I have pushed my comfort zone to the limit… and then broke right through it. In Budapest, Hungary, we all had the opportunity to go spelunking in one of the caves outside of town. Although I knew this would freak out my senses and challenge my abilities, both mental and physical, I knew I had to take this task on.

Sixteen of us decided to go through these caves with a tour guide. We were split up into two equal groups, and I got to follow Lazlo the cave guide. Right away he told us we were a sporty and “thin” looking group, so we would be going through some of the harder parts of the cave that tourists are allowed in. Consistently he would take us the harder, tighter, and longer ways so we could get the most out of our experience. After 1300 meters of physical work, we all agreed we couldn’t have asked for more.

There were these sections in the cave that you literally had to lie down and army crawl your way through. I have the bruises and scratches on my elbows and knees to prove it. These were all fairly difficult, but my biggest fear was to be wedged in from all sides by the cave. To feel it on each side and then on your stomach and back was not a pleasant image nor a calming one. And just when I thought I was through the worst, there came the Worm.

Me and Matt squeezing through the cave.

The Worm, as they call it, is only a few meters long, but it requires maneuvering one’s body in an angle and contorting limbs to avoid rocks. So much physical energy is needed to make it through in a timely manner ( even though Lazlo slid right through like it was nothing). After making it out, I was so pleased with myself and thankful to be succeeding in something I never deemed possible. The Worm was one of the hardest sections in the cave, and I knew know I could overcome any territory Lazlo would make me enter.

And so he challenged us more. There was a vertical climb we had to make on our sides that was as tightly squished as an overbearing aunt’s embrace. You had to keep your left arm underneath you and push with your right foot. Apparently that is where all your power comes from, but my power, along with others, was also apparently lacking. Almost every single one of us got stuck in this section, but upon escaping this tormenting squeeze, I felt so accomplished. I was laughing when I could hear Jimmy getting his shoulders stuck behind me.

No matter what you think your physical limitations are, there really aren’t any at all. We all are capable of doing the most challenging things if we really try and put our mind to the task. By the end of our 2 and 1/2 hour caving tour, we were all sweating but smiling so broadly. It sounds completely cliche, but this experience proved to myself that I can be unstoppable, but only if I want to be. So I challenge anyone reading to find something that they would not normally do, just to see if it’s possible. With a positive attitude and the support of loving friends, I have no doubt that it will be.

The group of us at the end

I did say I would write more about fall break, and now since I feel like I have finally had some time to relax, this is the perfect time. My break was planned in a way to basically encircle Germany to hit all of the destinations too far away for just a weekend trip. Most of this excursion was spent with my boyfriend, my roommate, and my boyfriend’s roommate. Four people on an experience of a lifetime.

I can honestly say that Istanbul was the most worthwhile destination; however, I wrote about that before and will not bore anyone with further details… just go there are see it for yourself! Rather than take time for that, I just wanted to write about my overall impressions about each destination: this will give a general feel for the area and also allow me to relive my travels.

After Istanbul, Matt, Brenna, and I went to Athens and Mykonos in Greece. Athens was a short trip, with more time devoted to the picturesque qualities of the Greek island. The weather was perfect while we were there adding to the overall allure to the city. Matt and I rented ATVs and drove around the entire island going beach hopping to wherever the map looked interesting. The time in Mykonos was pure relaxation and resort-like satisfaction. When we went back to Athens a few days later, we had to hit up the entire city in a short morning. Walking around at a decent pace to make sure we hit all of the monuments got to be tiring, but we ended up seeing everything we wanted to in a few hours.

Matt and I in front of the Temple of Hephasius, Athens

And let me tell you, I was geeking out to the max. Being a history major, I was enthralled to see all of the ruins left around Athens. The Acropolis was definitely jaw dropping, but I appreciated the Temple of Hephasius even more. This temple is the oldest remaining building of its kind, and it is still in such pristine condition. To stand in front of such perfect history like that gave me the chills and a look onto the world that is ever changing. No matter how little of importance you think something may be, in a thousand years people could be standing looking at our newest building thinking it was the most perfect historic monument. Freaky cool.

After our historic adventures in Greece, we traveled quickly to Rome. I have previously been to Rome in the past, and this visit was a quick review to what I have already seen. Unfortunately I didn’t get to the catacombs like I had planned, but I revisited the Vatican museum and took in the glory of the Sistine Chapel once more. This masterpiece does not need any words but only full dedication. It is a truly magnificent piece of art that has a lot of hidden jokes throughout. Props to Michelangelo.

Matt and I in front of an Amsterdam Canal

The north was next. Amsterdam was a beautiful city with water everywhere you looked. Besides some untimely rain, all of the experiences here were worthwhile. We were able to see the Van Gogh Museum, which is not worth the money but nice nonetheless. I again geeked out at the Anne Frank House, but we didn’t have time to go inside. This city is so great to walk around in though because you can get so completely lost without feeling you are doomed. The city looks too inviting to present any real danger. Just watch your purses in the red light district!

Copenhagen and Stockholm were both beautiful cities. We didn’t find too many touristic sites in either city, so we just spent most of our time walking around and thinking about the Dominoes we were going to order in Copenhagen. Copenhagen also has a part of the city called Christiana, which is a self governed section and gave me the extreme heeby-jeebies. Never going back there again. Stockholm was by far the coldest weather we encountered. The sun also set at about 3:30pm there, which did not do well for my freezing toes or my desire to actually see the city. Overall, this trip helped me grow in ways I didn’t imagine and take in sites I had only seen in my history text books. A well planned and well executed way to spend 17 days.

Tea, crumpets, scones, and a queen. The only place to be is London! Besides being one of the most amazing cities, I was able to meet with Matt’s family and stay in the country as well. Seeing some of the city and some of the country was a perfect mix for a weekend. On Saturday night, we were fortunate enough to go see a play with Matt’s sister, nephew, and parents. The show was called “War Horse” and played in the New London Theater.

Basically whatever I say will not be able to convince anyone that the show was a great performance, but it was. The story line was based on a relationship between a boy and a horse during the turmoils of World War One. The most interesting thing about the play was that there were no real horses used (obviously this would cause a gigantic mess); rather, the horses were more like puppets controlled by three people. After awhile, I completely forgot that the animals weren’t real… that’s how good the performers were!

Anyways, the majority of the play was based during World War One, which is obviously a war that was fought against the Germans. Living in Germany and watching this play in English with random German interruptions was the most interesting experience. I kept thinking about the stereotypes that I had about Germany when I first came here. I have to admit, I didn’t think much about staying in Germany even though I was living here for the semester; instead, I focused on the fact that Germany sits in the center of Europe and would be the perfect hub for European travel. Also, the only thing I thought about Germany was its interaction and instigation in World War One and Two. All of my history classes have focused on Bismarck’s role in using Austria as a puppet force to start the first World War and Hitler’s power in creating the second.

Seeing this play made me think about all of these stereotypes. During the play, a German soldier attempted to give up because of how tired he was of the war. He, along with some other men, yelled Kaiser scheiße, which is a derogatory term towards the leading regime. It was interesting to see the portrayal of how war was exhausting for everyone and unwanted. Since living in Germany, I have been able to face my stereotypes head on. Germans are not stuck in the past dwelling in the shame of wars but rather trying to move on and cope with what has happened. There is a big surge of modernism and moving forward; Germany is a leader in the European Union and has consistently been working together with surrounding countries as a peace keeping and economic powerhouse.

Before, I thought that the German people had some pent up animosity boiling in their blood and were unfriendly people. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This realization hit hard almost immediately with meeting one of our professors Frau Brixner. She is probably the most bubbly and friendly lady that I have ever met, and she always has a smile on her face. Some of the Germans are even funny contrary to popular belief. I have heard many German jokes from our economics professor Herr Veit and amongst the other students. There is a great dynamic to the German people, but what I learned in history classes were far from the truth. I am thankful that I was mistaken with my previous beliefs and that I can say that I am living in a country full of fantastic people with a fascinating history. In the end, you cannot judge a book by its cover… even if it is from a history textbook.

Norway. Never a country that I thought I was going to visit when I first explored studying abroad. When I met my cousin from Norway as a senior in high school, my mind changed completely. Coming to Germany this fall, my main goal was to find a time that I could cross the sea and make it to the very long country to meet my extended family for the first time. After some coordination, we got it to work. And I could not have asked for anything more. To describe the scenery in a blog does not do it justice. There are utterly no words that I could type that could remotely get you to understand the euphoric state of mind I was in the entire weekend. If you want a truly humbling experience, take some time and travel to the most beautiful place on earth… Norway.

Our roadtrip through the mountains

The water was so blue and clear… tasted great!

Matt and I overlooking the mountains

One of the many waterfalls along the trip

Now my family I can talk about. I was extremely nervous and overwhelmed when we pulled back into the driveway after our two day roadtrip to find about 15 family members standing there. So many people came up to me to shake my hand; they all introduced themselves, but Norwegian names are very difficult to pronounce! After going inside, we had dinner and talked for hours. I was so blessed to know that this many family members wanted to meet me. They were all so kind and engaging. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. There is nothing better than coming home from the most beautiful scenery to meet the most beautiful people. I hope now that I can go back to Norway since I cannot imagine living without these family connections in this gorgeous country.

All of my wonderful Norwegian family

One of the most memorable experiences was meeting my cousin’s girlfriend’s son, Leander. He was almost 3 years old, and we bonded because we didn’t need language. After a few hours of playing with Buzz Lightyear and Lego planes, we became the best of friends. He learned my name right away and came to give me a big hug before he had to go home to bed. On Sunday, we all had lunch together and then had to say goodbye. As we both pulled out of the driveway in different vehicles, Stein (my cousin) stopped the car because Leander was crying. Tor (my other cousin) pulled up alongside to see what was wrong, and Leander felt like he hadn’t said enough goodbyes to me. That was enough to almost make me cry.

I love my family. Hopefully one day I will be making the long trek back to Norway to experience even more of the country and even more family dinners.

This past weekend my boyfriend Matt and I had plans to travel to Norway to visit my family, most of whom I have never met before. I was so excited and thrilled for this experience, I cannot even put into words the anticipation I was feeling the days leading up to our departure. Our flight left from Berlin at 21:25 meaning we should probably get there a few hours earlier. Unfortunately, the train times were not very accommodating to us; the only connection we could make left from Reutlingen at 13:07 and would eventually (after 4 transfers) bring us into Berlin Tegel Airport at 20:25. That is exactly one hour… cutting it close. Trains in Germany are also supposed to run on time though – they are good with discipline and orderliness here, so there shouldn’t have been a problem.

Wrong.

Our third train came into the station approximately 15 minutes late. There was only a 13 minute layover between transfers, so Matt and I both thought we missed our next connection. By the grace of luck, the train we had to catch to Hannover was also 5 minutes late. Thankfully we got on, and all was well.

Wrong again. Although the train left only 5 minutes delayed, it came into Hannover a full 25 minutes past the time it was supposed to arrive. No planning could have prevented this, and we missed our last connection to Berlin. The next train would get us in at 20:45 to the Berlin Spandau station with a subway and a bus to catch after that before we would arrive at Tegel. I don’t know about you, but the time did not look favorable. Therefore, I was in tears on this last leg of the trip. The entire time I was sitting on the train I kept praying to God in every way I knew how to get us to the airport in time. I was literally rehearsing the Lord’s Prayer, the Nicene Creed, and the prayer I say before nighttime and meals. Anything that I could do to plead, I was doing.

A stranger sat down next to Matt. He was German and spoke very little English making the lively conversation that much more entertaining between Matt and him. Neither could get their point across absolutely clearly. I had a moment where I thought that maybe he was the angel God sent to us, and he would somehow help us get to our flight in time. However, I was still crabby and tear filled, so I let Matt carry on the conversation. Sure enough, when it was time for us to leave, the stranger stood up and shook both of our hands and wished us luck on catching our flight and the rest of our travels. Nice man.

To make matters more spectacular, he continued to hand Matt 20 Euros and refused to take it back. Matt and I just stared at each other in disbelief. The stranger went back to his seat, and we never saw him again. This 20 Euros was just enough for us to take a taxi, the total ride costing 18 Euros. If we would have walked to the S Bahn, we would have gone the wrong way with my poor directions. We still had to sprint through the airport and past security, but we made it. We got to the airport 5 minutes before the Oslo flight started boarding (it was also running a little late).

Without this stranger’s aide, we would most likely have not made it in time. Matt and I both teared up again on the shuttle bus to our plane because we just couldn’t believe it. If this isn’t God’s work, I have no idea what is. There truly are angels among us every where we go. I feel so blessed and so lucky to have shared paths with this man and wish I knew his name to thank him. God helped us get to our flight and have the most wonderful weekend of my life. It was just a glimpse of His beauty that was glaringly obvious throughout the rest of the weekend. I thank God for that man, and I will always believe he was an angel.