Off we go!

       

Dec. 29, around 5 am: I sit at the Hamburg airport. It’s still dark outside, well, as dark as it can be at an airport. A few moments ago I said good-bye to my father, brother and best friend. I hate good-byes, and once again I ask myself: Why am I doing this again?

Obligatory White House-Tourist-Photo

Later that day, in a different time zone, I get out of the airport in Washington D.C., after standing in line waiting to get through customs for 3 hours (Yes, 3 hours. I was lucky I didn’t have to transfer anywhere else). My host sister, Becky, picks me up. I hadn’t seen her for 4 years, and yet it feels so good to see a familiar face.       
    
Becky and her family are the main reason why I enjoy my first couple of days in the US as much as I did. After spending some exciting and wonderful days in D.C. we went to Elkins, West Virginia where the rest of the family lives. It’s a small town, there’s nothing much to do around here. Still, I enjoy being back. Frank, my host dad, teaches me how to make “Spätzle” one night. Who would’ve thought that I learn how to make homemade Spätzle in the US of A?!

Jan. 5, I finally arrived in Athens. There’s no one else in my apartment (I live in the University Commons, a student housing complex off campus). Becky gave me a ride up here. Besides being glad not to be completely alone, I would’ve been lost without her car- something we will realize again and again. We meet up with Cynthia and Philipp, who finally made it to Athens as well. It's nice to have someone there to share our first “cultural shock” experience: Grocery shopping at Kroger and Walmart. Although all of us have been here before, we never get quite used to the American XXL-norm in those stores. (By now we know smaller stores to go to. Yes, they do exist, and we don’t need a car to get there!)

Welcome to Athen's Winter

That’s for getting here. But how about getting settled in? I must admit, I’m still working on that. But I’m getting there. A huge help in that is my absolutely wonderful (I’m not exaggerating) roommate from Denmark, Rikke. Living in student housing is not exactly what I would call a cozy place to live, but having someone there who makes it feel a little more like home totally makes up for it!         
 
Also our peers from the Global Leadership Program, our directors and TAs (teaching assistants) are making us feel welcome and part of the group already. I’m excited to learn what exactly our collaborative project will be like. At the moment our work is still a little unfocused and we try to figure out where it will head, and yet this “organized chaos” has its charm.

Who could say no to running here?!

There are two things I have especially enjoyed over here so far: The variety of local bands playing live shows every weekend (especially being used to what Leipzig has to offer on a Friday night, they’ve saved one or two nights already) and the snow! Yes, I do like snow and the cold. Although there are moments in which I cannot feel my face anymore, I enjoy the runs with Cynthia in the snow a lot. It’s what we did at home, so it, too, helps making this place feel a little more like a home every day. Thank you, snow.