With less than twenty-four hours remaining before my departure for Berlin, the reality of this experience is only now beginning to settle in. For months, this study abroad opportunity felt distant and abstract, something I planned for in my mind but struggled to fully imagine. Only within the past week has it truly felt within reach, as if the anticipation has finally caught up to the reality that I am about to step into an entirely new chapter of my life.
As I prepare to leave, I am experiencing a variety of emotions, including fear, excitement, nervousness, hope, and curiosity. I have never traveled outside of my home state alone, nor have I ever left the United States, which makes this experience especially unfamiliar. Navigating international travel, cultural differences, and daily life in a foreign country without a familiar support system will challenge me in ways I have never experienced before.
My program is based in Berlin, a city that has always felt significant to me due to my father’s military service in Germany. Growing up hearing his stories has shaped my interest in the country’s history and culture, and I am excited to finally experience it firsthand. I look forward to engaging with German culture and forming connections with students from around the world, gaining perspectives that extend beyond my own lived experiences.
Academically and professionally, I am particularly hopeful that this experience will deepen my understanding of international education systems. As a future educator, I hope to learn from German educational practices and bring those insights back with me to help me create my teaching philosophy. At the same time, this journey requires personal sacrifice. Being away from my family, especially my husband and two-year-old daughter, for the first time is emotionally challenging for me.
Despite these fears, I feel ready to take this step. I am prepared to push beyond my comfort zone and discover what I am capable of through independence and self-reliance. I believe this experience will profoundly shape my personal growth, cultural awareness, sense of identity, and academic and professional development.