EI Sur al Norte
Abstract
The following group of stories I have written are the reflections of my time spent living in
Western Europe. In August of 2009, I left for Karlsruhe, located on Germany's western border
in the Baden-Wiirttemberg region. I worked for a freelance journalist who edited Wristwatch
Annual. I wrote articles about posh lifestyles and translated automatic and mechanical watch
details from German to English. I entered the world of luxury watches, a popular trade in central
Europe which I never knew existed. I learned how these technical marvels work, I learned how
to speak German, and I learned the basics of how to live in a foreign country on my own.
The following two weeks I spent backpacking solo, visiting friends or exploring a city on
my own. I made all my travel plans and somehow managed to get by with basic German training
and only seeing one familiar face for the past two months.
In September, I moved to Caceres, Spain, near the Spain-Portugal border, where I
studied at the Universidad Extremadura. I moved in with a host family and gained knowledge
of new people, a new city, and a new culture that flourished with each step forward. I traveled to
other Spanish countries and had the pleasure of having my family and boyfriend travel to
Europe to see me. I went through some of the most exultant highs and dismal lows I have ever
experienced in my 22 years on Earth.
My return to the United States in February 2010 was the equivalent of letting out a big
sigh and crumbling to the floor. I was relieved to return to American culture, but I also felt no
challenge or pressure-to some extent, I felt useless. I didn't have to make life-altering decisions
like I did when I was traveling or when I was faced with cultural barriers. I didn't have the same
problem of time-management. The competition of German, Spanish, and English thoughts
ceased and there was no replacement for the task. At the time the break was agonizing until I
started my studies at Kalamazoo College again, but looking back it was important step of
an,alyzing my previous experience.
Even with all the challenges that I faced living and traveling in a foreign country, I
learned an immense amount in a short period of time. I want to go back, use what I learned, and
challenge myself more. I want to learn from my mistakes and I want to reflect on the culture I
experienced. Most of all, I want to embrace the uncertainty of what lies ahead.