And... I have to leave

Well, the time has finally arrived that I actually get to leave this place. While I am not going to lie, I have hoped for this day for nearly a day now. Now that it is here it seems very surreal and I am sad to leave. While in Amiens, France I have met so many amazing people. That is the hardest part, leaving all my friends I have met here. Luckily in today's modern world I will be able to talk with them anytime I want, and they are also mostly from North America, so a short plane ride, or long car ride, and I can be at their front doors.

So I am all packed up and leaving in 2 hours. I will have to catch a bus, then another bus, then a train, and another train, and then 2 more trains after that. But by roughly 6pm I will finally be in Bochum, Germany where I will stay with one of my best friends from high school! After a short weekend with her I will have to, yet again, travel back to college. However, not in the U.S. as you may think... I stay in Germany. I will have roughly 3 weeks of intensive German course in Magdeburg, Germany... after which I will FINALLY be able to go back to the U.S.

While in Germany I am going to try my best to keep updating my blog, however I cannot make any guarantees. Wow, I am sort of in shock that it is over already. Anyway, in the meantime I will leave you with a picture of my sunrise/ cloudy sky here in Amiens, at 6:20am.

Till next time ~~ Alex

My days are numbered!

As of yesterday I am officially finished with classes in Amiens, France. Which also means that my study abroad semester has come to an end. I am unsure of how I exactly feel, on one side I am happy to finally be done with this semester and am definitely ready to go home. However on the other side... I still have another month left, as I travel to Germany for a summer program.

As of today 5/23/14, I have 6 days left... which now that I think about it I really cannot believe. In those 6 days, which I am sure will go by super fast, I have to still check out Paris (as I have avoided that place at all costs) and meet up with a fellow Minnesotan who will be traveling through. Then continue to pack and make sure everything is finalized in France, as well as in Germany.

I would just like to take this time to give a huge shout out to the International Exchange Office at Northern State University, and especially Liz Hannum. Without her I do not believe I could actually be here. She has had extreme patients, as she has had to deal with my billions of questions not only before I left... but also while I have been here. She also has dealt and talked me through (prior to choosing France) my changing of study programs, and my indecision. As I had originally choose Germany (over a year ago) and then Korea, then Germany again, then Korea again after I found out when Germany's semester began... and finally France after I decided on the summer course in Germany (which for travel reasons, France was a much easier decision than Korea). Through all the bulk emails I would have pestered her with and the stupidity of the majority of my questions, she has answered and help me through.

If anyone is thinking about studying abroad, and would like to receive more information you are in good hands with Liz Hannum and I definitely not only suggest that everyone goes and talks with her about study abroad opportunities (RÉSUMÉ BOOST!) or actually plan your own semester or summer program abroad. Just go, walk down to Lincoln Hall and visit with her! Trust me, you will definitely not regret it! And you can still, with some planning, graduate on time!

In the weeks to come, I am sure my life will begin to get filled with new experiences and an extreme amount of German language. I will do my very best to be much more structured at posting about my trip and what I am doing at that time.

So, until next time... Alex