by Elijah Wall| Summer 2024 |
Studying abroad was an amazing experience. Whether it be the people, the landscape, or the culture, I learned many things and am excited to bring them back into my life in the States.
First, the people I went with were a lot of fun to be around. I would not necessarily hang out with some of them before studying abroad, but returning, I made some quality relationships. Being in the house, cooking dinner, and going on fun weekend trips together are a few of my highlights. I did not expect little things like these to leave an impact, but it showed me that the feeling of family can be anywhere, as long as you have the right people around you.
Next, the landscape of Germany was beautiful. There were many instances where simply being in nature gave me the realization that God created our earth perfectly. A few examples of where I saw God in nature were at a lookout in Leipzig, a hike in Austria, and a river spot in Munich called Georgenstein. In Leipzig, the lookout gave us a grand view of the city and the things around it. We watched the sunset and just enjoyed being in the outdoors. In Austria, we did a grueling hike that climbed about a mile in altitude. Once we got to the top, we got to see a beautiful lookout right before a storm hit. At Georgenstein, there was a large rock that we could jump off of into the river. It did not look the most promising at first, with a ripping current pulling us downstream once we jumped in, but an old local man showed us how it was done. This leads me to my final point, which I found beautiful while studying abroad.
Lastly, the culture abroad was beautiful. The place where I experienced this the most was an EDM festival called Tomorrowland. This festival hosts four hundred thousand people from over 200 countries throughout two weekends, all coming together for one reason. This reason was to dance and listen to some of the best DJs in the world. I traveled all the way to Belgium by myself to experience this festival and got to meet some of the coolest people ever. The culture I experienced there was refreshing, to say the least. Everyone was kind, respectful, and inviting, which made me feel comfortable and free. Though this experience may not be for everyone, I can firmly say that it was one of the, if not the most fun, I have ever had. The most prevalent message that Tomorrowland puts out is unity, and this is seen in everything there. I never thought music would bring together so many people from so many different backgrounds.
Studying abroad was a life-changing experience. It showed me some of the beauty around the world and how putting myself out there can be rewarding. The culture of Germany, nature, and the people around me gave me a sense of belonging in a place that should feel foreign. Overall, I would love to be able to experience something like this again in the near future.
