A quick update for everybody:
My name is James, I'm 19, and come from a small city outside of Minneapolis (go Minnesota!). I spent the 2010-2011 academic year, my junior year, living abroad in Germany as a part of the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange program (CBYX) through Youth For Understanding USA (YFU USA).
I am currently double majoring in Chemistry (emphasis Biochem) and German at the University of North Dakota. I am lucky enough to say that I will be leaving in September for yet another year abroad in Germany, this time at the Universität Regensburg. I plan on using this blog as a way to keep friends and family up to date with what I am doing, as well as a way for me to record some my memories.
I have been volunteering with YFU in Minnesota for the last two years on a kind of "as needed" basis, but was lucky enough to spend a few days last week (July 11-14) in 'Chicago' with YFU volunteering at an orientation for all American students spending at least a semester abroad. I had a great time working with my group (Shout out to the green group) of 11 kids who are all leaving for Germany at the beginning of August here. If you guys (or anybody else going abroad) read this, I wish you all the best of luck!
So as I said I leave for Munich on September 2nd. I'm super excited to leave and get there, but at the same time a little apprehensive as I'll be living 'alone' in a new city, not really knowing anybody (shout out to Wyatt, Edith, and Marlene). But overall I'm really excited.
I've got pretty much all of my ducks in a row now, I'm just finishing up the last few details with my money and whatnot, but otherwise I've got green lights all around. Once I get to Regensburg I'll be moving in to my 'apartment' and will spend the first few days in Regensburg getting stuff like bank accounts set up before leaving to visit my host family in Niedersachsen for a few weeks.
I hope that everybody appreciates this update post. If you have any questions please feel free to let me know. I hope to write here every 4-6 weeks while I'm abroad so make sure to check back regularly!
Until next time,
- Der James
