Zeit auf Wiedersehen sagen (Time to Say Good-Bye)

So once again I have failed miserably at keeping in touch with family and friends and keeping people up-to-date with my life abroad. After nearly a year in Germany, I have come to the conclusion that Blogging on a daily or weekly basis is just not my thing...at least not at this point in time. Plus, with recent computer problems along with exams and finals presentations stretching from the last few weeks in June until the very end of July, I have been online very seldom the past three months or so. Now my year in Germany is nearing its end and many Good-Byes have been said. I will depart quietly from this wonderful experience shortly, but it will never leave me nor will the wonderful people who have blessed my life and the amazing memories we made. After about "one hour" on a eight-and-a-half-hour flight I will say "Hello" to my homeland and begin my final year of my undergraduate education. Right now, I am unsure which seems more bizarre...how quickly the year has passed or how quickly this next year is going to fly!

Love (Liebe), Life (Leben), & Learning (Lernen)

So................................................................................
it has been AGES since I have posted and I have not been too much better with my mass email updates. It is something that I have had difficulties with in the past, but I am working on making a point to find time to keep in touch more frequently. I cannot promise miracles, especially with classes beginning yesterday (Montag 31. März) & the rather extreme course load I am looking at concurring this semester, but I will be putting forth a greater effort than ever before. That I can promise.

I can only describe life here in Germany one way right now, and that is "It is life." A different location on this planet than I have lived for nearly 21-years, sure; thousands of miles away from family and many of my friends, DEFINITELY; but it is still as unpredictable as ever and just when I think I may have finally figured out something, a twist or hitch is bound to appear out of right field. Location does not matter, life will always be there. Good or bad. Happy or sad. Expected or surprised. Easy or difficult. Life does not give up or forget where one is and is often filled with lessons and opportunities that help depict one's experience and growth (or regression).

My time in Germany so far has been an absolute amazement. Filled with all of the wonders life can dream and sprinkled with many unexpected, unforeseeable turns of events. Whilst I think that I am learning quite a bit in the classroom, I find that I am learning and realizing more outside of the lecture halls and seminar rooms than I ever expected or ever could have imagined. I have never been so humbled and so blessed at one time as I have felt during certain points in time while I have been abroad. My appreciation for those I love has grown enormously, regardless if they live nearby me here in Marburg or on the other side of the world. And, more so than ever before, I find that I cannot express my love and gratitude properly, as words do my feelings a great injustice. I just want those closest to me (family & friends alike) to know that I love them unconditionally & cannot thank them enough for being a part of my life.