by Ella Venegoni | Fall 2023 |
This semester has been such a blessing and a very formative time for me, and I truly did not expect this much change. Before we left for study abroad many people expressed genuine excitement for me and said that I would grow immensely from this experience. I have had many times that allowed me to grow individually in the way I interact with others, communicate with others clearly, and learn to be able to go with the flow even when I have strong opinions on things. This is all possible because of the stretching I have had from being out of my comfort zone. Living with new people, specifically 33 others, has been very hard, and I have learned that I am a huge homebody.
I love the time I have been able to be in Leipzig. Even though my trips to Garmisch, Italy, Greece, Prague, and Copenhagen have been so fruitful and memorable, the relationships I have built through conversations and late nights talking in hotel rooms are the moments that have impacted me the most. I have struggled with being alone, straying from the group, feeling left out, and saying no to things. I have noticed that when I don’t spend some time doing things that bring me pure joy, I start to get really down. I get short with people, and I am constantly tired. I spread myself too thin to the point of exhaustion, and it is not healthy.
I am learning more and more about myself each day, which is a good and a bad thing, haha! I definitely have made some of the most genuine and Christ-like friends that have been there for me in so many ways since we have been here. I have been able to relate with them like no other, and these 3 months have brought so much community and love into my life. I have learned how to be a better cook and baker from having kitchens to use! And, in turn, I have learned how to clean up after myself REALLY well. In a way, I feel like I have had a very real trial on how living on your own works and the realities of being an adult.
I am in Leipzig with my boyfriend Cole, and it has been such a blessing to be able to navigate this time with him. He balances me perfectly and is a huge role model for me. Our relationship has grown beautifully in a way that I am not sure would have happened at home in Abilene. All my friends have made traveling and living abroad in Europe the best experience and I will continue to recommend this opportunity to any and everybody. Needless to say, I am thankful. I have a feeling that the reintegration back to life in the States will be much harder than the integration coming here to Germany. I will be leaving Leipzig with so many memories and friendships that will stick with me forever.
