Saturday August 25^th 16:23

Last day of language camp today. I am both sad, and excited at the same time. On one hand, I am not going to be able to see my exchange friends for about a month, (until the hiking weekend). That is a bummer, because the friends I have made here are really awesome. Also, the Altmünster area is an amazing place with a lot to do. But, on the other hand, I am excited to really get to know my host family and Schwarzach. I am looking forward to the longevity and stability of a family. It is hard spending only two weeks with people, because you try to jam the equivalent of two months of introducing yourself into a couple weeks. Everyone has already made cliques and couples. It is kind of cool, because people have created relationships that will probably endure through their lives, but it is hard to have a relationship long distance. It is especially hard when you are trying to adapt to a different culture and sticking to your American counterparts. I think the purpose of an exchange is not just to make more English-speaking friends, but instead to make connections and peace from overseas. You never know, the relationships I create, or another person from the U.S. could be the deciding factor between starting a war or not. That is important. I have tried to get in touch with Julius Semikin (a Austrian who came to Bozeman last year), and if I get a chance I will go visit him in Vienna. Another purpose of an exchange is to gain independence and life skills. I know that I have already discovered some personality flaws and improvements about myself I could make. I am extremely satisfied.