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This morning, just like any other morning, I was making breakfast in my kitchen. My roommate Martin came up to me and said that he had to say goodbye to me -- he was leaving for home for the week and wouldn't be back before I fly home on Saturday. It was a simple goodbye, short and sweet, he hugged me and said he hoped I'd had a good time here and would always have good memories of it, and told me that even though it's hard to say goodbye, I can always come back. And then he left.
It was surreal for me, because Martin was the first roommate I met upon arriving in Freiburg. He showed me around the apartment; he spoke with me in English, bless his heart, because he could see that I was tired; he introduced me to the other roommates; he made me a cup of coffee. He really made me feel at home here at a time when I felt tired, sick, and out of place. He was always incredibly patient with me when speaking with me in German, correcting me gently and encouraging me when he could tell I was getting frustrated or intimidated. "You can always tell me to slow down," he would say, "or explain to you what a word means. Don't be afraid to ask me. That's the only way you'll learn."
My first goodbye was also my one of my first hello's, and so it was especially strange, like arriving to Freiburg all over again but in reverse. And that was only the first of many goodbyes I'll be saying this week.
This week is gonna be a doozy. If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed! - Jessica Trumbull, IES Abroad
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