Goodbye America, Helllooo Denmark

Finally, after months of waiting, my adventure is to begin. I've backed my bags and said my goodbyes. It's amazing that after months of dreaming of this day, of signing paperwork, and of sitting tight the day has come for it to really happen.

It's hard to say that I'm scared of what is to come or that I'm frightened about this or that because, in reality, I'm not. I'm just totally psyched about meeting new people, learning a new language, and exploring a different culture. I'm not saying I'm totally comfortable with starting a new school while living with a new family, speaking none of the language, and not knowing hardly anything about the customs. I've spent a good portion of my life moving to new schools where I knew no one outside of my family, but this is a whole new ball game. At least when I started a new school before I could talk to them and they would understand, and I didn't have to worry about doing some social faux pas.

Now I'm sure you're thinking, "Well, you did prepare for this, right?" I did, more than you would know, but you can't just read a book and understand everything. Understanding in itself isn't something very comprehensible. I've always thought that to understand one thing is to know its opposite. To understand day you have to know night. To say I understand they culture would be a lie. No amount of preparation can really prepare you for anything like what I'm about to do. I'm sure other exchange students can vouch for me there. I guess you just have to prepare for the unexpected and grasp all the knowledge about your country of choice before you go. That's just what I've done.

I'm most interesting in this blog because it's my thoughts and feelings right then and there. It will be most interesting to sit down one day and read from start to finish everything I've posted once I return. I want to know if my expectations were right or if I was absolutely crazy to not be frightened or scared or whatever it is your suppose to feel at this moment. So in order to do that I'm going to write, well, type my expectations.

To make expectations is to be disappointed. I don't expect everything to be perfect. I expect to make mistakes and to make a complete fool of myself every now and then. I don't expect to never be homesick and I don't expect to fit right in. I expect to learn more about a different way of life and I expect to come home a different person. I don't expect to change the world and I don't expect to come back a perfect person. I expect to come back an understanding person and I expect to come home with a general knowledge of the language and culture. I don't expect to know everything. I expect myself to stay in touch with friends both here and there. I expect myself to learn about and appreciate my own culture. I expect myself to return a citizen of my own country, a prospective citizen of my host country, and a true citizen of the world. Of all of these expectations, I expect to be disappointed - it's just the way life rolls.

So, with all that said, Goodbye America and Hellooooo Denmark!

P.S. Don't have my address or point of contact? Wish you had it? Shoot me an email at jmoore_92@yahoo.com