1 month & 5 more to go!

Guten Morgen,


Thank you for keeping up with my blog and taking up a little bit of your time to read. As of today, I can finally say I've been in Europe for one month :) In just one month, I've learned so many things. For example, my german level is not 0 anymore. I have the knowledge of some basic phrases and words. I passed the German Level 1 class and my plan is to continue learning German while I'm here. Also, I know the basic routes to get to the places I frequent the most. These places are my home (of course), the dinning hall (Mensa), the stores where I can buy food (Rewe, Aldi, Kaufland), the train station to leave Heidelberg, and the gym where I can exercise. So public transportation is not a problem anymore. I've also learned how to manage my time better. I found a balance between, parties, classes, friends, and family. I feel more relaxed with the way I organize myself and time.

I've organized my time so well that I was able to plan trips every weekend that I have been here. I've been to France three times (Metz, Strasbourg, and Paris) All three cities were beautiful. Paris has my heart though! I loved every single minute there. I visited different monuments and just by walking around a regular street, I felt happy. I also took the public transportation in Paris. I was able to understand and speak to several French people. My skills are not perfect but the fact that I can actually communicate in French with strangers, makes me feel accomplished. In addition, I have never been so sure about my decision of Majoring in French. Listening and speaking the language makes me feel good. I am way too excited for my French classes.


As of right now, I have 2 weeks before the summer semester starts. This means I will be taking classes while my friends back in the U.S will be enjoying their summer. I'm fine with that though. Because I truly miss being busy with school work. I feel like I've been out of school for too long. Last time I was pushed to do well on an assignment or test was in December of 2014. I'm ready to be busy with homework. I'm excited to be taking three French courses and one German class. Choosing classes here has not been easy, but with the help of coordinators and professors I finally figured it out. Therefore, academics wise, I'm set and ready. Classes will begin April 13th.


Meanwhile what would I be doing? Well, Easter break starts today. I'm leaving on a trip to Italy at night. I will be in Venice, Vicenza, Florence Pisa and Milan. It's great how I can just plan to leave Germany and be in a different country the next day. Europe is treating me well. I feel accomplished by just being here. I've always wanted to travel and my dreams are becoming true every day! Of course I wouldn't be here without the support and help of my parents. I miss them already. But I know that they are proud of my accomplishments and they are very happy I can travel anywhere that I want. I really am having the time of my life. All of the experiences I've had so far, whether good or bad, they are teaching me life lessons.


Now fellow readers, here is a piece of advice I've learned and experienced on my own. If you really truly want something. Say for example, travel? Plan it and do it! Anything is possible. Not everything will come out perfectly BUT by trying you are already on the right track. Get out of your comfort zone and do something extraordinary. You will feel proud of yourself :)

That's it for now. I will post later on throughout the month!


Merci beaucoup mon chères

Nicht alles perfekt!

Fellow readers,

It has been two weeks since I started my study abroad experience and though it's not a long time, I already feel like I'm in a roller coaster. I'm constantly thinking that days are not long enough to do everything that I want and need to do. Every night I go to sleep extremely exhausted and there hasn't been a night in which I can go to sleep before midnight. I'm no stranger to sleep deprivation. Sleepless nights have been part of my life in the U.S. as well. However, back home, I didn't sleep because I was swamped with homework and studying for upcoming exams. Here in Heidelberg, is different. Life is just a big party! There is always something fun going on. The University of Heidelberg has different student organizations that plan out activities for the students. Whether it is an excursion to a different city, tours of Heidelberg, concerts, carnivals, or a pub crawl night. Throughout these two weeks that I've been here, I've visited other near by cities: Mannheim (Germany),Saarbrücken (Germany) and Metz (France). I have been to the famous castle in Heidelberg. I've gone shopping, and I've attended different parties. Also, I would like to say the new friendships I'm making are what makes this experience even better. The activities I attend wouldn't be the same without my new friends. They are so much fun to be around! We have class together and we plan different adventures.When we are all together we are extremely loud and often we have people staring at us. Pretty sure the Germans around Heidelberg know who we are and where we come from. The loud Americans. I'm normally not a loud type of person, but when we are all together, we are just laughing, telling stories about our lives and having a great time. We walk in mobs and we tend to laugh a lot. It's great! The friendships I'm making are definitely something I'm grateful for.

Life in Heidelberg is so much different from my life back in the U.S. Back home, I used to have a routine and my days were planned. However, for the passed 2 weeks, I haven't really have a day planned out. Here, I can't seem to create a routine. I'm not complaining about my life and all the fun activities I've been involved in, but I would love to have plans and actually follow them. Sooner or later, I hope to find a routine that suits my wants and needs. I do however, want to let you all understand and imagine what I'm going through. I will do my best to describe what I have experienced so far and what mosts days consist of. First of all, I'm not just in Germany to have fun. I do have responsibilities as a student, but right now, the summer semester hasn't started. For this reason, I am able to take a German course that will conclude at the end of this month. The summer semester will begin April 13th. and I will be taking 3/4 classes in French that will fulfill the requirements needed for my French major. So, for right now, German is all I hear, learn, and study. The German course I take is from 9am-12:30pm with a lunch break of 30 mins. I have two professors who are extremely knowledgeable. They each have a different style of teaching BUT they only speak German to the class. 80% of class time there's a confused expression planted on my face. When both of my professors can tell that I can't understand the mumble jumble coming out of their mouths as words, they finally have some sympathy and translate to English. How's that going? Eh...it's challenging. Pronunciation, grammar rules, extensive vocabulary...it's way too much to learn in just one month. It helps that I can actually practice German whenever I'm at a public place. Though I'm not a fluent speaker and I doubt I will become one during my stay here; I'm doing what I can.

Although I've been here less than a month, I can already tell you what I dislike about the city I live in. As I said in my previous post, the administration at the school, helps the students in several ways. However, the student must also struggle without help and figure out their own class schedule. The way the education system is structured is confusing. Recently, I attended an orientation that explained how students sign up for courses and let me tell you, it's not easy and way different to what I'm used to! Besides the fact that mostly everything is in German and I can't understand it, I have to personally talk to the people in the department where I want to have classes. I'm used to signing up for classes through an online system, reading about the classes provided and the professors. Here, I can't sign up for classes online. I don't create my schedule before the semester starts. In order to be in a class, I have to either e-mail the professor, attend the first class of the course or take an exam to be eligible. Also, the school's administration has nothing to do with the faculty. Ohh but that's not all that's different, a student here can be a full time student without taking many classes. There's no limit as to how many classes a student wants to take. But it's up to the student to be able to pass those classes. It's frustrating to not have a person guide you step by step. I'm not sure if it's a culture thing, but back at home (the US) I feel like my professors and administration care about my struggles and always ready to help with any issues. I definitely miss Illinois College and the way every person that I've met there has reached out to help.

On a much happier note, the public transportation here is way nicer than the one back in Chicago. The buses and trams are bigger and cleaner. However, on weekends and late at nights, buses and routes change. I learned that it is always good to have a map with me. It is really easy to take the public transportation here and be in a different city in matters of minutes/hours. I definitely love that about Europe. Makes the exploring so much easier and convenient. Another aspect that I also love about Germany is the food. Germans are big on pastries, desserts, sandwiches with different types of cheese and bread, pretzels, coffee, and tea. Personally, I'm obsess with Turkish Kebabs. These are known as fast food restaurants here. I do enjoy eating all these new food, however, I already have withdrawals and miss my mom's food. As you can tell, I have already experienced frustrating moments. I've had moments when I'm just annoyed because I can't understand what people are saying around me. But, I just remind myself that I haven't been here long and that I need to relax and enjoy my learning experience. Being optimistic is key right? :) Sure, I'm having fun, sure I made new friends, sure I love traveling and exploring new places! But wait, there really is no place like home. & life is hard when you have to readjust to a whole new system and life style.

Living in the moment!

I made it! I'm alive! I'm living in Heidelberg, Germany....funny, I still can't fully grasp reality. However, the ordeal of moving to a different country is REAL. I have experienced some tough, and busy days. There were so many things to get done to finally feel at peace and ease. Don't get me wrong, I have had great experiences so far as well.

Let me explain why I haven't updated my social medias as much and how my life has changed drastically in matter of 3 days.I am going to be extremely clear and explain with detailed everything that I've been through and I'll start with the not-so-happy moments. You don't have to sit and read the Karina aventuras (Karina's adventures in Spanish) but if you want to laugh a little and imagine what I'm going through, then sit back, read and enjoy!Let me start with how my suitcase broke as soon as I arrived at O'hare international airport (in Chicago). Apparently, I do not have good luck with luggage. You will figure this out later on through out this long post. Anyway....so my suitcase broke right? but I did not freak right away because my mom was there and she kind of fixed it. My mom always finds ways to make my life easier and to make everything work out. After checking in my bags and after saying my good-byes to the people I love the most, I was on my own! For some reason, I felt real confident because I went through security fast and easy. I also found the gate where I would depart right away and after 30 mins, I was already on my way to Europe!I arrived to Heidelberg on Monday at 1pm. I was actually supposed to be here at 10am but one of my connecting flights was delayed by two hours. This is when things started to get...not pleasant! On Sunday morning and afternoon I walked around a mile and a half throughout airports (JFK in NY and Moscow) to get to my designated departure gates. Let me just add I did not travel light (my fault, I know) but a girl needs her stuff. So I definitely had a workout walking that much with 2 bags each around 30 lbs. I'm small, and short and 30 lbs is quite a bit for me to carry. I did it anyway and as of right now my arms are still sore. Ha! Anyway, during the flights, I met people who were real nice to me and took care of me like if I was their daughter. It's probably because they thought I was way younger than 21 years old. I felt protected throughout each one of my flights. Also, let me add the food I received on each plane ride, was delightful. I enjoyed every bite!...usually I hear people complaining about the food. I am a picky person but the food was good to me and it did not make me feel sick. After finally making it to Frankfurt in Germany, I went to pick my luggage...and guess what?! My luggage was still in Moscow, Russia (where I took my connecting flight) I started freaking out. Because I had everything planned out already. I had paid for an agency to pick me up and drive me to Heidelberg. I had to be in Heidelberg before 5pm to register and do paper work. So I decided to have my luggage be deliver to me in Heidelberg once I knew where I would be living. The airline agreed and said to give them a call. So again, I was back on track with my plans. The ride from Frankfurt to Heidelberg was about a 30-40 mins. It was quite the experience. As some of you may know, there is NO SPEED LIMIT. Cars where flying by! All of them! I was scared but I also thought that was pretty cool. Something interesting I saw throughout the ride, was a lot of graffiti on bridges. I thought only kids in America liked to vandalize the city but maybe kids/teenagers all around the world want to make and leave their own mark like that.


Okay so, the driver helped me find the place where I was supposed to register and once I finished paper work and pay all the fees and rent I needed to pay, the supervisors gave me my room key, address and directions on how to get there. & yes guys, I was left alone to find my way to the new place that would be my home. A-L-O-N-E. No one helping me find the right bus or train. No one helping me read German. So yes, I was annoyed. But I knew it would happen. I was warned that faculty and staff in Germany help you, but not fully. You must find your way to things and places you need. Of course I made mistakes on my way to my new residence. For example, I got off at the wrong bus stop, I did not purchase a train ticket when I was supposed to (because I did not know how and where to get it). BUT I made it to the building. The building reminds me of Pixley Hall back at IC. It's old, and each student has a room, the people in my floor share the bathrooms and the kitchen. Fun fact though, there are boys living in my floor. & yes, their shower is also the girls shower. WEIRD! I have been dealing with that, but I can tell you all that I do not like it. Long story short, the dorm I live by is alright, I met the man who takes care of the building. He speaks little english. However, he speaks a lot of French, so we communicated through Frenglish. There are many students living here from all over the world. The second day here, I met a girl from Spain. She needed help communicating with the owner. I helped her with her English because she spoke Spanish better. She was real nice! Although she's 20 years old, she knew a lot about maps and how to move from one place to another. She helped me get to the building and location where we both needed to take a German placement test. Paula (Spain girl) knows more German than me. I am in level -1 and she's more advanced. For this reason, I don't see her as often. Buuuut heyyyy! I'm not the only one knowing 0% German. I met other fellow students (American exchange students, like me). We have all gotten to know each other, and thankfully two other girls live in the same building as I do. We have been hanging out and exploring Heidelberg. These students are from all over the US, some from Oklahoma, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Indiana, New Mexico, and California. Everyone is real nice and friendly. We definitely are here to learn German and just have a good time. For this reason, I have not been fully active on my social media game. I also have my German class, which is actually fun. I have been laughing a lot. All the people I'm meeting are great! Their personalities are different but I liked them all. In addition to fun times around Heidelberg, paper work still needs to be done. For example, I found out how hard it is to get a cell phone here! I need one to be connected with other students and to just help me whenever I need to call someone. I have to open a bank account, register with the city and buy necessary items (grocery shopping). Today was a great day because after 3 days, I finally have ALL my belongings! My luggage arrived today and I can wear my nice/clean clothes :D


For now, all I have to do is my German Level 1 homework, and get ready for another day. I can't explain all of these feelings being here. I'm just amazed by everything. Everything is so much different from the US. There are stores and restaurants that I recognize, but my life is not the same. I do not hear English all the time. I hear German conversations, I live in small but big city. I take the train and bus to school, I eat at different places. I don't drink normal water or milk. I drink tea because that's what they give at school! I am a little shy with people who I'm getting to know. But I am giving everyone a chance to get to know me. It's just crazy how fast everything is happening. All I can say is that I'm living in the very moment and I hardly have time to explain, post, and talk to the whole world about it. I'm just so into it. I'm just happy to be here :)

Get Ready, Set, Go!

The anticipation before I depart to Germany is making me feel anxious. I created a countdown to remind me about the days I have left at home, but really it's just to remind me that each day passing by, gets me closer to my own adventure.I am constantly checking my classmates' blogs to see how they are doing and what experiences they are having. I'm happy for the 3 girls(Amanda, Katia and Julie) have made it safe and sound to their destination. I hope that those of us who are yet to leave (Gabrielle and I), have the same luck! As I read through their posts, I wonder what mistakes I will make (that also has me feeling anxious and a bit worried). Because I do tend to make mistakes, especially with directions. I usually get lost, and although I eventually find my way, the feeling of being lost does not make me feel good. However, I will try not to be pessimistic and I will prepare myself before I come across a possible mistake. On a brighter note, I am happy to say I have been working on my to-do-list I created on the previous post.


I have a job, I purchased my airplane tickets, and I applied for my student visa. Although it was NOT easy to accomplish none of these tasks, I'm getting through them. Back in December of 2014 and the beginning of January 2015, job hunting was not fun but now that I am getting a pay check every two weeks makes me feel secure. The airplane tickets were in my opinion, the best deal I could have gotten. I am happy with my purchase. I will be leaving Chicago on March 1st, and I will be arriving to Germany on March 2nd at 10am. Now, the process to apply for the student visa was the hardest task of my to-do-list. There were people who were rude throughout the process & I can't deal with rudeness well. I react defensively. But as of today, February 4th, everything is resolved and I should be getting my visa around February 23rd.


Now, since this is my blog and I can post about anything that I want, I'll share some deep thoughts going through my mind. The thought of me living in a different country without my family or friends is scary. I have been through this before. I moved from Mexico to the US when I was younger, and it was difficult to integrate into a new society and country. It took me a whole year to finally feel "comfortable" with my life again. However, now that I am older and it is actually my decision to go out and live in a different country....I feel like the process of getting used to Germany and its culture will be faster (at least I hope it will be like that). Besides, I am beyond excited to see new places, to meet new people, and to enjoy every moment.


What makes me even more excited about this experience is that I will be able to experience a different life where no one will know anything about me. I will know absolutely no one once I land in Frankfurt Germany. It's like I get a chance at life again and I'm in charge of how I will present myself in front of the new people I will meet. I will create a new life. By myself and then I will create memories and experiences with the people I will meet. Although it is nerve wracking to be all by myself I can't wait to just deal with everything that will come my way, either good or bad. I'll learn something out of each experience and that's exactly what this experience will be about...learning. Many students who study abroad talk about their experiences and how much they learn about themselves. In my opinion, I know myself well. I know the type of person that I am. Of course I'm not perfect. I have my own faults and I know exactly what they are. I may not always want to be around people, I may not always speak what's on my mind, I may not always do what's best for people. I may be selfish and just think of what's good for me. I am a slow learner. I take my time for everything. But, not everything about me is bad. I can promise anyone that I am worth getting to know. I am a good friend and a fun person to be around. People just need to give me a chance and actually get to know me. Everyday I try to be a better person, but bad habits die hard. So, what I do think I will learn while I'm abroad is how I will give myself a chance to create a new life. Who will be part of my new life and how I will take care of myself without a supporting system like family and long time friends. A challenge indeed. But, I can't wait! I'm ready for March 1st 2015.

The journey begins

By the end of next week, the Fall semester of my Junior year will be over. My mom will be coming to Jacksonville to help me pack my belongings and return to Chicago. I will be staying home until March 1st, 2015. During these three months, I will be preparing myself for my semester abroad at the University of Heidelberg in Germany. I have a to do list of what needs to get done before my departure.


To do:



purchase plain tickets
get a visa
create a tentative budget to have a knowledge of how much money I should take with me
prepare myself mentally and emotionally
enjoy the company of family and friends as much as I can






Throughout the months in Chicago, I will be working to make more cash. I believe that the more money I have, the more fun I'll experience. That will be my motivation to work and I know the long hour shifts will be worth it :)


I am very excited for this experience and I can't wait to be on my way to Germany. However, after a month in Germany, I'm sure I will start missing my family and friends. Hopefully, by that time I had already made new friends and can help whenever I get nostalgic.


For now, I will finish the fall semester and try my hardest to get the grades I've been working for. Also, before I'm on my way home on December 21st, I will make sure to say my goodbyes to Jacksonville and my friends.






Here's to moving on to a different phase in my life and growing up!

Today is the day I created my first blog. I've never used this type of social media but let's see how it all works out. I'll play around with the settings and hopefully it will look good :)

I am getting ready to embark on a very important and significant adventure, I will be studying in Heidelberg University in Germany. This experience will probably be one of the best experiences I'll ever have in my whole entire life! Stay tune for more. Feel free to ask questions, comment, or give any feedback.


Au revoir!