Impending Departure

As the summer is coming to a close and my time before I leave for Germany is less than two weeks, I find myself with a mixture of emotions and thoughts. This, I presume, is pretty normal for anyone in my situation. Many co-workers and friends have been asking me if I'm ready to leave, how I feel about it, etc. Mostly I tell them I am excited but also nervous. And a little more stressed out than before with the two or three To-Do lists I have scattered around my wooden desk and the reminders of things to do that are constantly rolling around in my head, coming to the forefront of my thoughts a few times a day.

But I confidently tell everyone that everything will be fine and this experience will be amazing. The new life I begin in Germany will be a huge adjustment, but I think I'm ready for it. I studied abroad in Regensburg, Germany for three months my junior year in college and I loved it; I didn't want to come home, and I have felt a great desire to return ever since. Thankfully, my first week and a half in Germany will be mostly spent traveling with my boyfriend, which includes visiting distant relatives that still live in Austria. So hopefully my initial travels will help with my adjustment before I have to start teaching.

Sometimes I feel this time in Germany is just one way I am putting off finding a "real" job with a "real" salary. But I hope this experience will make me more marketable, therefore,helping me find a solid job in the American workforce. I anticipate my communication skills to strengthen and also my skills in negotiating and learning to work with people from other cultures, who have differences in lifestyles and ideas about the work environment. I'm hoping for the best!