Connections?

    When I began thinking about this adventure, I wondered how meeting people would be. I wasn’t sure if people would want to talk to me or get to know me. In all fairness, I am only here (in my host community) for a little over nine months. I was concerned if this would keep people from wanting to befriend me or want to make a real friendship. For those who are applying to CBYX and are wondering the same, I’ll explain the positives and negatives I have found socially here in Germany.
I’ll begin with the positives. I came here to Germany with pride of being an American. I was excited to talk about and explain things about my country. This works perfectly, as many Germans love to hear about and discuss the similarities and differences in our nations. Whenever you get a chance, I’d recommend using this to your advantage. Meeting new people is very easy. When first talking to people, slip into the conversation that you are an exchange student. It’s important you don’t make this your personality, but you can use it to get your foot in the door.

    While at Oktoberfest, I got to meet many new people. I saw many of my school friends there. We did our best to dance to the German music, and I did my best to sing along (even though I had no clue what the words were). With the loud music blaring, it was hard to hear. Still, every time I met a new person, I didn’t have to hear them exactly. They always got excited when they learned I was from America. Use this excitement to your advantage, and let it boost your confidence.

    As with everything, there are some negatives. One thing I found harder so far is to make really strong connections. In the U.S. if you meet someone and you click, you’re basically almost friends. Here in Germany, it takes time. You’ll find them, but it’s helpful to be able to have fun on your own between the time of meeting people and being close enough to hang out with them. I am in a small town, and almost everyone knows each other. This is good in the sense that if you meet one person, they can introduce you to many people. On the other hand, many people have their friend groups already carved out, and it can be hard to find a place sometimes. I always remind myself that this is nothing against me. They have known each other for years and, as of right now, they have known me for two months.

    Even though I have been here for two months already, I still get excited to meet new people. Sometimes it can feel lonesome, but the feeling of having a German laugh at your joke (in German!) still makes me smile. Is it hard socially sometimes? Of course it is. But it is all so worth it.