"See you later"

Because it is my last blog post and I got asked about my blog several times, I thought that I should write my last post not only in German but also in English.

I have been home now for a month, but it feels like yesterday that I left the United States. I can't describe how I'm feeling. I felt like I got home but I also left home in some kind of way. But all in all I think it is awesome that I can speak that way, because its so much better to be sad about leaving Louisville after one year, looking back on such a beautiful time with so many special and wonderful experiences, than being glad to finally go back home!

I just want to say thank you to everybody one more time! Thank you for making this year so special and unforgettable! It was an adventure I will always remeber.

But let me tell you about the time since I left Louisville.
The stay in Washington was pretty cool. I was able to meet Congresman John Yarmuth and I talked with him about my year. After that we visited the M.LK. Memorial, the F.D.R. Memorial and the Smithsonian museum of natural history. On the day we left there was also and event to recognize that our program became 30 years old. I was asked to hold a speech, how many of you probably knew, and although I was really nervous, I got through it without a mistake and I really enjoyed it. Although these days were intersting and really cool, I felt ready to go home and after a 8 hours flight, I landed in Germany!

I was welcomed by my family and my friends! They waited for me with a german flag, an american balloon, a self-made cake and and and... It felt great to see all of them again after such a long time! Right now, after a month back home, my German is pretty fluently again, but back then it was sooo hard! The first couple days I needed a translater all the time, and my friends came up with the funny idea that I would have to pay a euro everytime I would say something in English, but they stopped counting when we reached 25 times on the ride back home, which is only 30 minutes (laugh).

Not long after I got home I went on vacation to France in Spain and I visited my exchange buddy from Spain in Santander! I was an awesome time and I was glad to see her one more time.

Since then I enjoyed my time in Bochum and the World Cup made everything perfect! You all can't believe how crazy everybody was! After the final everybody went on the streets and it was a big party until the next morning! Sometimes it's still hard to realize it but it was a delight for every German heart.
Now, I still have 3 more weeks of break before the school starts and next week I#m going to visit my sister in Berlin!

So one more time: THANK YOU ALL! It was a wonderful time and I enjoyed every second of it! And it was definetly not a "Good Bye", it was a "See you later!" because I will come back for sure and I hope I will also see some of you in Germany!

Stay as awesome as when I left you all,
your German simon!