Dear English speaking friends,

one school year I have written this blog. Although it was intended to be bilingual from the very beginning, I found out very early in my Fletcher grad school life that this blog offered me an unforeseen opportunity: To bitch shamelessly in my native language…about the not too natural American food, about different perspectives on what is cold or where hair belongs. And getting feedback from my German friends was such a support!

The first year is almost (!) over and I am leaving the USA on Wednesday to go to Europe for the summer. I will go home, work for a couple of weeks at Zeiss and then I will be traveling and researching for this word we do not like to hear: the thesis :-). And I would like to include the Fletcher world into my small blog world.

Once I am back home…

I will no longer refer to myself as European; grad school makes me realize how adaptable  identities are. I will drink good German beer at acceptable prices and, I have to admit it, probably enjoy saying the “stupid things white people say” without feeling inappropriate.

And then, there is the other side: I will no longer walk into the kitchen and encounter african vegetable dishes I have never heard of, or enjoy the Indian or Japanese cuisine that I completely fell in love with! I cannot start a passionate discussion with middle-eastern colleagues and American soldiers about the hypocrisy of American foreign policy and I will probably not have to explain why Germany does not take stronger position in world politics.

Admittedly, some things will also not change: I will continue enjoying BBQs and beer with my friends, I will embrace every day how fortunate I am to life the life I am living and I will maybe not stop worrying about what I want to do with my life. Because Fletcher has shown me how many people from all over the world struggle with the same questions, the same worries, and still have a wonderful time.

Here is my first procrastination accomplishment: A video of my last year, my good-bye party in Germany and many wonderful moments in Boston. I hope you´ll enjoy!