Danke, Deutschland [thanks, Germany}

I just had the adventure of a lifetime. After five months of living in Germany, there is so much I have seen, so much I have learned and so much to say. I can't possibly sit here and write a proper summary of my German experience. Rather, I wanted to say thank you for a few things on this last night I have in Potsdam.

Thank you, German language. Even though you can be a real bitch with your senseless three genders and arbitrary plurals, the fact that you've added Schwangerschaftverhütungsmittel and Rolltreppenbenutzungshinweise to my vocabulary has earned you a thanks. 

"Entry to the construction forbidden"

Thank you, University of Potsdam. America should really adopt your European model of having classes meet once a week. Easily the most relaxing semester of my life, but one of the most interesting. Now I know exactly when to write a ß or ss; it's also embarrassing that a German professor taught me that "smog" comes from "smoke + fog." 

University of Potsdam at New Palace

Thank you, Potsdam. As "Berlin's pretty little sister," I will miss your green parks and elaborate palaces. Your close proximately to Berlin complements your smaller size wonderfully. I will oddly miss the Hauptbahnhof (main train station) with my favorite Döner shop and the best ice cream in town. Funny to think that five months ago I didn't know how a train station worked.

Sansoucci Palace in Potsdam

Thank you, to all of the people I was able to visit while I was here and all of their wonderful friends I met, too. Whether I was in Stuttgart with Bettina, in Kiel with Edda, Leipzig with Julia, Bremen with Franzi or in Jena with Patricia, I enjoyed every chance I had to see as much of Germany as possible. I have now been (bin) to 14/16 Bundesländer [German states]. But these cities would not have been nearly as special if I hadn't had such hospitable hosts.

My last trip to see Patricia in Jena.

And thank you, Pit (and Missi the dog) and Frederike. I am truly so, so lucky to have found the apartment in Potsdam that I did. This semester would not have been as amazing and life-enhancing had I not had such nice, fun roommates. I got to speak German every day; I got to help Frederike with her English; and I made lifelong friends.

Roommates: Frederike, Pit and Missy. 

Tomorrow I board a plane at 12:15 Germany time and head back across the Atlantic. I am ecstatic to see my family, girlfriend and friends, but I can't ignore the bittersweetness of it all. I will miss Germany; I will miss so much about it, but I just have to tell myself that this won't be our last encounter.

Thanks, Germany.