For those of you who haven't heard from my ecstatic, chatty grandmother or my elated parents, Sunday morning marks the beginning of an incredibly eventful summer for me. I have dreamed about going to Europe for as long as I can remember. I finally decided that I was going to implode if I didn't get to Europe very soon. I had always been held back by the financial factor. No one wants to throw money at a middle-class white girl who reeeeeeeally wants a cool vacation. However, money will rain down upon females who want to do an engineering internship abroad. So here I am, thankfully not about to go completely broke for this awesome experience. Here's the skinny on my summer:
- I leave Sunday morning and will arrive in Berlin on Monday morning.
- I will then spend the next 8 days in Berlin and Munich with my roommate Camille and her friend Megan.
- I will then train it up to Stuttgart, where I will be staying for the next few months.
- There is no AC in the dorms I'm staying in, which is blasphemy to a native Phoenician such as myself.
- I'm working on a project where I 3D print polymers and add functional groups to make them reactive.
- That explanation I just gave probably has no relevance to what I will actually be doing, so watch for updates on that.
- I will be travelling on the weekends. Paris is 100% happening, but I have a list longer than my arm of other places I want to go.
- I currently have no idea when I will be back in the States, but it will be around the 22nd of August. I will then go directly to school. Which will be awful, since my body will still be 8 hours ahead.
- I'm missing my mother's birthday. (Sorry Mom.)
- I may not see my brother until December, which would make it a whole year.
- I WILL see my best friend before she leaves for potentially a whole year as well.
- I'm starting to learn German. Thanks Duolingo.
- I'm excited beyond belief, scared silly, and have absolutely no idea what to expect from the next few months
I'm writing a blog because A. My grandmother would kill me if I didn't. B. I won't be able to talk to my family as much as we normally do. C. I'm contractually obligated to do so by a scholarship I received. D. I'm weird and like to write. I'm hoping this blog can be semi-educational as well as a vehicle for entertainment. I want to be able to help other students who are thinking about studying abroad by sharing everything I go through as I take my first journey across the ocean. That'll include what I learn about other cultures, how I get places, museums I like, food I don't like, etc. etc. Which may get a little boring. Hopefully I'll be able to throw enough pictures up that it will still be fairly interesting.
I don't know how I feel about this summer yet. I am definitely excited, but definitely a little intimidated as well. Once I get where I'm going, I'm sure I'll be just bursting with emotions. But for now, I still have 3573925 things to get done. I would love and appreciate any comments anyone has. If you think I need to go somewhere, eat something, if there's a particular picture anyone wants to see, I am totally game. Let me know. I'm excited to share my adventures here and hopefully be able to help others get one step closer to their own journeys.
Forever and Always,
Taryn
