A change in pace, a new experience, and a little excitement was exactly what I was craving last fall. In this mindset, I decided to attend an international exchange information session, and after hearing all the amazing stories from the students who had just returned from their travels abroad, I was sold.  I completed my application, booked an interview and set my sights on living in Freiburg, Germany for a semester. When my official acceptance arrived, friends starting asking “why Germany?”, and “What do you hope to experience there”?

While there are some fairly obvious answers to these questions ranging anywhere from the desire to sample many original German beers and to explore the evocative memorials and museums associated with WWII, I hope to delve deeper.  My true goal is to get past merely seeing and experiencing the traditional tourist attractions, and instead am hoping for a chance to truly immerse myself in the German culture and country as a citizen rather than a visitor.  To me this means learning the language and practicing the customs, one of which is a strong respect for nature. The environmentalist and geography major in me can’t wait to embrace the fantastic eco-friendly policies the people of Freiburg have adapted; they rebuilt their city on green principles after having it practically decimated during bombings of WWII. They are also situated within close proximity to the Black Forest, which from what I’ve seen and heard, is a region of ecological beauty comparable to Canada’s own diverse and magnificent ecosystem.

I believe that being a world traveler is one of the best types of education you can receive and is one of the greatest ways that one can grow as a person. As a result, am so excited to start this new chapter of my education and my life experience as a whole! Of course, behind all the excitement I feel about these new potential experiences, there is an underlying nervousness. Customs are different and could be hard to embrace…and the language! I don’t know if I can quite pull off learning that many new letters and sounds in such a short time.  Even with all this nervousness, I am determined to overcome these challenges, so as I prepare to leave my home of almost 21 years I am filled with excitement. Though there is a whole world out there for each and every one of us to discover, for me, it will all start with Germany.

By: Jenny Kirton