As I sit here getting ready to head home, I feel a mix of emotions. First and foremost, I am tired. The last two weeks have been packed with early mornings, long bus rides, company visits, presentations, tours, and exploring new cities. Looking back at everything we have done, it is honestly crazy how much we were able to fit into such a short amount of time. While I am definitely excited to catch up on sleep, it is hard to believe the trip is already over.
I am also feeling pretty sad about leaving. When we first arrived, I knew almost nobody on the trip. Over the last two weeks, I have made so many new friends, both with the American students and the German students. Some of my favorite memories from this trip were not necessarily the company visits or tourist attractions, but the time spent getting to know everyone. Whether it was grabbing food after a long day, exploring Salzburg together, or simply riding the bus from place to place, those are the moments I think I will remember the most. It is strange knowing that I may never see some of these people again.
The journey home was definitely a long one. We started with a roughly nine-hour flight to Washington, D.C. After spending so much time traveling around Germany, it felt strange to finally be heading back to the United States. One thing that made the process much easier was having Global Entry. Going through customs was quick and stress-free, which was a huge relief after such a long flight. After clearing customs, I had one more flight, about two hours long, before finally making it back to Michigan. By the time I got home, I was exhausted but happy to be back.
At the same time, I was excited to return home. I missed my family, my friends, and having my own space. I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed and not having to live out of a suitcase anymore. I was also excited to tell everyone about my experiences and share all of the pictures I had taken throughout the trip.
There are a lot of things I am going to miss about Germany. I will miss being able to walk everywhere, taking the streetcars around Augsburg, and seeing incredible architecture every day. I will miss the castles, the museums, and all of the history surrounding the places we visited. I will also miss the fresh brots, the cafés, and all of the little shops we discovered along the way.
This trip has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I learned so much about Germany, business, and different cultures, but I also learned a lot about myself. While I am happy to be home, a part of me wishes I could have stayed just a little bit longer.
