Let the Journey Begin!

So, you may be wondering what it is that makes me crazy enough to spend 11 months of my high school life, my senior year no less, thousands of miles away with a family I've never met, in a country I've never visited. Well, let me explain :-)

When I was 11, I was bit by an infectious bug known only as "the travel bug". I spent 3 weeks in the Central American country of Belize and from that summer on, my love of traveling and passion for understanding and experiences foreign cultures only grew. In 08, my eyes were opened to the devastating poverty that rules the lives of so many when I spent a month working with orphans in South Africa. Knowing that I had the ability to capitalize on opportunities so many would never even have, inspired me to not waste my four years of high school, but to make them as memorable and rewarding as possible.

In 2009, I decided to do something "different"; something life changing that not many people my age were doing. So I went to the Middle East for a semester....I think that definitely counts as different but no, don't worry, my parents and I hadn't lost all sanity. My time in Oman opened my eyes to the beauty of the Arab culture and taught me the value in understanding a culture for more than just what the media says about it.

So now, a year and a half after returning from Oman, I'm sitting in my living room beginning a blog that for the next year will keep you all informed on my life as a German teenager. And you though I was crazy before....little did you know :-) Although I enjoy traveling and cross cultural experiences, they are more than just a thrill or a hobby to me. In the past few years, I have developed a passion that I hope to pursue throughout my life to develop a greater understanding of the world I live in and the many different kinds of beautiful people and amazing cultures it is home to. So although traveling may seem like my drug, my get away, or even my favorite pastime, it is so much more. It is a part of who I am and always will be so I hope you enjoy reading about my experiences as I become part of a new family, enter into yet another school, and integrate into a culture so very different from my own. I am excited to see what the next year has in store for me and excited to have the support and love of so many who care about where I am and what I'm up to.

Let the journey begin!