Back in the States

A week ago tonight, I stepped off an airplane and back onto American soil for the first time in a few months. I hugged my family, laughed at Gaga's cheesy sign that said, "Willkommen, Graylyn!" and headed off to dinner at the Cincinnati Hofbrauhaus, where I was no longer allowed to order a Dunkles Weissbier. A week later, my body's sleep schedule is back on track, my Google is once again in English, and I've had a little bit of time to ponder my adventures in Austria.

They say that studying abroad changes you. Any travel changes a person, I think. Maybe it's the experience of a new culture, or maybe it's just the time away to think--the removal from life's daily grind and the chance to take a step back and live differently for awhile. I couldn't have asked for a better and more timely opportunity.

One of the things that I loved most about the trip was the sheer spontaneity of it all. Bärbel would so often neglect to tell us about the week's plans or programs until they were actually happening. At first, I was eager to plan out my days and my weeks, to know in order exactly what was going to take place. Yet as time went on, I learned that part of the fun was not knowing. There were times I missed my train or my bus and there were times when I read my map wrong. Looking back, those were the times I enjoyed the most. Many travelers (and people in general) are so concerned with finding their destinations that they forget to enjoy where they are. Lately I've begun to think that perhaps it's not where you end up, but rather the adventure you had getting there.

They say it's hard to make the change from living life in a drastically new place to going back to the old routine. Even though I spent a lot of time studying and writing papers (this was school after all), I spent even more time exploring. I enjoyed every minute I spent in Europe; every day was a chance to find new foods, meet interesting people, or find yet another unique landmark. And yet, even though I'm now back in the States, around places and people I've seen before, I hope to continue making every day just as exciting. Sometimes I think it isn't as much what you do and see while on a vacation or a trip, it's more about your personal mindset and attitude. Each day should be interesting, whether it promises a trip to one of Europe's most beautiful cathedrals, or just another trip to class in Athens, Ohio.

I miss it. I can't lie; even though there was nothing better than hugging my family and seeing my friends again, I've found that I love Austria. I can't say it any other way. And so, I plan to return in the near future. Life has changed for me in so many positive ways, but I do still have 2 years of my education left to complete before I can more seriously continue my travels. In the meantime, I can Skype with Stefan, continue to practice my German, and look forward to the next time I'll step off a plane and be in Salzburg. I would love to practice journalism over there someday; I have been recently disappointed at the lack of European news coverage on American main networks. Maybe someday I can work to remedy that situation. After I graduate, I am also thinking very seriously about taking a position teaching English to children in Austria. Next year at OU, I plan to begin working on an English teaching certificate. No one can say exactly what the future might hold, but for now I can say that I'm very, very, very happy. And I think that's generally all we can ask for.