It's Time to Move On

It's cliche to say that all good things must come to an end. I have a hard time looking back over the past ten months of my adventures and writing them off as simply "coming to an end." And though this will be my final blog post on this blog, this journal celebrating the trials and tribulations of my gap year, I cannot close with a sorrowful tone. Yes, the school year is over (congratulations to all of my friends who graduated last weekend), and yes, I am home from the third planned phase of my year off, but as I've raced around Williamstown the past week or so attempting to prepare for what lies ahead, I've experienced no feelings of letdown. My gap year may be over based on the calendar, but I don't feel as if anything has ended--I only feel more ready to move on to the next chapter.

Back home on Lake Champlain

Today, in a few hours, I will report to 126 Camp Dudley Road. I will walk through the main gates, give big hugs that say "I've missed you," and meander down to Williams Cabin, my home for Summer 2013. We'll all be busy. This stellar crew of leaders and staff gracing the Dudley campus today has ten days to prepare for the start of camp. I know we'll be ready when the campers arrive next Tuesday.

There will be time for reminiscing--time to collect all of our individual stories from the offseason and pool them together in joy of reconvened friendship. But sooner than I care to realize, my tales of adventure from my gap year will have to settle themselves in a small corner of my cabin. They will always be there for when I need them, but for now, they'll have to take a backseat to the new memories we'll create this summer. I do know, however, that I have a better place than a dark corner to keep my stories--I have this blog. 

And that's the cool part. How cool it's been that I got to live in Germany, tuning my soccer skills as I tuned my ears to the rough vernacular of a beautiful people. How cool it's been that I was able to visit Dudley friends at college campuses all over the east coast, rekindling the Dudley spirit far from the campus here on Lake Champlain. How cool it's been that I got to spend sunny spring days outside on the golf course--and get paid to do so! And how cool it's been that I woke up every morning and asked myself, "What do I want to do today?" 

Every day I think back to some segment of my year and remember something new. I've discovered so much for myself that as I look back, remembering forgotten instances is almost like seeing them for the first time. I'm always filled with excitement when I think about my adventures. I just attempted to sum up my year in four sentences, but I'm not concerned whether or not I hit on all of the right points. The coolest thing for me is knowing that in this blog, I have an encyclopedia of memories. Who knows what will come of these stories or what my gap year experiences will lead to, but I know that this year has changed me for the better. 

It's been exactly ten months since I boarded my plane to Germany. Start to finish, this year has been a little bit surreal for me. I was able to set off on my own and find success wherever I went. But I was never really alone. Before I say goodbye, I have to thank everyone who has helped my this year. Thank you to my wonderful hosts, the Jusdons and the Scobles, who in very different ways helped my to grow up. Thank you to my friends, new and old, who opened up their doors for a night so that I could stop and see somewhere new before continuing on my journey. Thank you to my grandparents, Mommom and Babo and Mimi and Papa, for providing so much love and support, and always caring whether I was thousands of miles away or staying with them for a week. And thank you to my family. Thank you for all of the emails, phone calls, bits of advice, and words of wisdom as I set off into the unknown, promising to return safely. Thank you for trusting me, and thank you for knowing that my favorite place will always be at home with the five of us together. I love you all. 

Time To Catch Up

Just like that, my Germany adventure is over. I tried to refrain from making a grand exit. I wanted to enjoy the things that I have cherished over the past four months. Nobody is “good” at saying goodbye; we simply take each situation as it comes. In this circumstance, I could only say goodbye with a smile and a hug. Why should I feel sad when I’ve just completed the greatest adventure of my life? There are so many things that I’ll miss, and I know that I’ll cover these in future blog posts. There are people whom I may never see again, and places that will change just as I change. But I know that I’ve found a home in Germany and it will be tough to keep me from coming back. I want to share this country that I know and love with others—go back and recount experiences, see faces and places, and reflect on my irreplaceable autumn of 2012.

With Sebastian and Luc at the Eintract Frankfurt staduim

On that note, I’m happy to be home. I flew over Edinburgh—a last glimpse of Scotland, at least until I return there. I made it safely to New York and felt that true sense of home as I returned to the Berkshires and Williamstown.

My blog certainly does not stop here. I have several posts still to about my final week in Germany, and I’m sure once I settle in here I’ll try to find a way to sum up the whole experience. I need to catch up a bit, just like I look forward to catching up with everyone here at home. I know I’ll be writing about Germany for the next few weeks, and I’ll certainly relate my next adventures to my time across the Atlantic. I’m stuck with these memories for the rest of my life, and they’ll continue to appear in my thoughts, conversations, writing, and my dreams.

For now, a brief thank you to all of those who made my gap year and trip to Germany possible, and to all who reached out to me while I was abroad. It was incredible, and it would’ve been nothing without the old friends and new friends I met along the way.

A final photo from my last snowy day in Bad Homburg

Some Lists Reflecting On My First Two Months

As I am typing this post, I sit in seat 9A on the first leg of my journey to Scotland. Though I'll probably be posting this on a later day, it's currently been exactly two months since I exited the plane which brought me to Germany, and now, for the first time, I'm leaving the country. Today's flight lands in Amsterdam, where I will hop aboard another plane bringing me to my final destination of Edinburgh, Scotland. Rising through the clouds, I can't help but think back to the beginning of my grand adventure in August. The final hugs and goodbyes seem worlds away, and though the two months have flown by, I feel completely different. I am still the same person, but the exposure and experience during my time in Europe has had a profound impact. I cannot judge my whole gap year before most of it has happened, but based on the past two months, I can guess it's a decision I'll cherish for the rest of my life.

Hopefully my blog has given a little insight into the adventure. It's fun even for me to look back on the early posts and see how far I've come since then. Sometimes you can be so eager that it's easy to miss the most important parts. I feel so comfortable in my home and in Germany now, and though I am still as excited as ever to find new experiences, I'm learning to slow down and appreciate the little bits of magic that might not reveal themselves right away.

I've had some amazing adventures so far, met some incredible people, tried all sorts of foods, studied the German culture from an outside perspective, formed relationships that I want to continue even after I leave, and most importantly had so much fun in the process. If you haven't been following the blog, this post may be a good place to start. I want to offer a handful of lists that summarize and highlight the best parts of my time in Europe. It's impossible to whittle down all of the details I've described into one post, but hopefully this covers the best of the best. Enjoy this, and then prepare to follow me on the second half of my trip. If it's anything like the first, I'm in for a real treat.

Five Favorite Adventures

• Oktoberfest - Waking up well before sunrise, itching to get off the train and into the fairgrounds, seeing a beer tent packed at ten in the morning--Oktoberfest can be pretty extreme. People will go great lengths to get there and to join the celebration. I'm so fortune I got to meet up with Will Plumb and Kirk Horton, and enjoy the festival with friends while making new ones. It's probably in one of the top ten things to do before you die, and now I can check it off my list. And I would come back in a heartbeat. 
• Joining Two Soccer Teams - I came here to focus on my soccer, and it's been the greatest of adventures rediscovering the sport I know best in a different country. No matter what the circumstances, when I am on the pitch with my German teammates, there are always those "wow" moments. The training has been exactly what I wanted, but more importantly it has given me the best possible opportunity to meet people.  
• Family Trip to the Schloss Westerhaus Vineyard - With young kids, it's hard to go on long trips together or find activities that suit all seven of us. But when we do get out together, it's often my favorite day of the week. The day at Schloss Westerhaus was the best--fun for the whole family as we picked grapes and enjoyed the German countryside. 
• Hiking in the Black Forest - Only last week, on what was probably one of the last gorgeous autumn days, I hiked the Teufelsmuhle with Lukas Ebeler and our host Leo. We were debating on whether or not to go into France, but I am so glad we decided to turn the day into a hike. Lunch at the top followed by a long game of cards was probably one of my favorite meals so far in Germany.
• My First Bundesliga Game in Stuttgart - Meeting up with family friend Blake Little in Stuttgart insured me an excellent stay in the city. Seeing Stuttgart play versus Leverkusen was the cherry on top. I loved the city and my time with Blake, but for a soccer fanatic, nothing was better than getting to watch and experience a Bundesliga game. 

Five Favorite Foods

• Bratwurst - It's hard to go wrong with a bratwurst, and it tastes delicious no matter what time of day. When I am walking around and I start to feel hungry, it seems there's always a bratwurst hot off the grill right around the corner. 
• Doner - There's a reason that Doner stores dot nearly every city street in Germany. It's a tasty lunch or snack, and comes in a normal pita pocket, in a wrap, or even on a pizza. 
• Chocolate Croissants - Bakeries don't mess around in Germany, and though I've tried just about every pastry imaginable, it's the classic chocolate croissant--freshly baked and still a bit warm--that I love the most. 
• Ute's Rice Patties - Ute comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help with the kids, and I could add a category of "Five Favorite Things Cooked by Ute," but her most popular dish is a rice patty with onions and cheese. I could live off of those.
• Flammkuchen - German style pizza is a delicious spin off of the traditional pie. The creme, garlic, and onion base nearly turns the crust into garlic bread, and with any variety of German meats and cheeses on top, it's a delicious meal. 

Five Favorite Little Details

• Toothpaste - The German brand, Elmex, sells combo packs of toothpaste--one to use in the morning and one to use at night. 
• Beer Glasses - It's nearly unlawful to pour a beer in a glass with a different logo on it. There's more to the overall quality of beer than just the ingredients.
• Bike Rides Home From Training - I never feel the cool evening air until I hop on my bike and speed down the hill. It's less than a kilometer to get back to 24B, where I undoubtedly find something delicious in the fridge to heat up for dinner. 
• Reaching Top Speed on an ICE - I've ridden my fair share of ICE trains by now, and it amazes me time after time how fast those things can go. Heading down to Munich we reached 320 kilometers per hour. 
• Daily Play Time with the Judson Kids - There's never any lack of excitement or fun when the kids are around. I can tickle Izzy, pitch to Alex in the basement, wrestle with Sebastian, or play foosball with Luc. And that's just getting started. I love being part of the family. 

Five Ways Germany is Way Different than the US

• Space - I am used to it now, but it's easy to see the effects of eighty million people crammed into a country so much smaller than the US. The whole concept of living space is different here, and people simply don't expect and need as much to get by. It's still easy to get out of a town or city and find great views, but where there are people, it gets very crowded.
• Food - I'm sure a vegetarian could survive in Germany, but it would take a huge effort. German cooking is heavy. There's meat for every meal, lots of bread and cheese, plenty of potato dishes, and not much in terms of greens. Thankfully the Judsons eat healthy and balanced meals, but when I'm traveling, I sometimes long for a light vegetarian meal once in a while. 
• Language - Kind of an obvious choice, but for me, I've enjoyed this first-time experience of living in a foreign country with a different language. It definitely keeps me on my toes, and though I use English ninety-five percent of the time, it makes me feel really good when I understand or accomplish something using Deutsch. 
• Structure - The biggest difference between the German people and Americans is the way they go about their days. There is a purpose, and there is no time for trivial nuisances to slow the down. For this reason the Germans are incredibly and almost comically honest, and when there is such a high level of trust, things tend to run very smoothly. 
• Transportation - Cars don't take precedence here like they do in the US. With a high-functioning public transport network and high fuel and parking costs, most people don't need a car. No one that I've met under the age of twenty-five owns a car, and even those families who do often use it sparingly. 

Five Favorite Photographs

Ferris wheel at Bad Homburg's Laternenfest

Grapes at the Schloss Westerhaus Vineyard

The Hippodrom tent at The Oktoberfest

Sebastian peeking out from the corn

A one-of-a-kind tree in Bad Herranalb