Hey pals!!! I am currently on the German/Switzerland boarder on a train to Interlaken. Reflecting back on Germany, there were a lot of unexpected trials: heartbreaking museums, train rides the wrong direction, and so much reading that words started to jumble together. But at the end of the day (or 9 days to be exact), Germany brought so much joy into my life. I’ve learned about other cultures, explored beautiful places, ate incredible food, and formed lifelong friendships with the people around me. In order to give you a glimpse at exact moments that I will hold onto forever, here’s a list of the gerMANY things that have made me spend 95% of the last 9 days smiling.
Lauren Klingemann’s six minute long hugs
German train assistants that give out hand fulls of chocolate
Madelyn singing Danke Schoen
Claire’s sweet and hilarious CRinstagram posts
Stories of fourth grade Griffin
Late night conversations with Peter
Bea’s independence
Kevin’s laugh
Finding Connor at the right place and the right time
Being sung happy birthday by an entire German pub
Dr. P getting kicked out of dinner
Making Kinesiology jokes with Harris
The picturesque landscape of Germany
The quote book
Scoring a double room with Gabby
Anything Sarah says
Raising our soft rocks
Talking ballet with Chloe
Dance parties at Mexican restaurants in Europe
Emma’s sarcasm
Brent initiating me into the kiwi club
Melted German chocolate
Screaming “AUSGANG” whenever possible
Coffee shop chats on rainy days
Bike rides, tree climbing, photo shoots, and power naps in the park
Waking up early to read the Bible with Brent and Peter
Seeing how much coffee I can consume in 24 hours without going into cardiac arrest
Everyone handing me their extra chocolate because they know my obsession
Gabby secretly buying me birthday pancakes
Having fruitful conversations with Kynnedi
Learning about leadership from Taylor
Naps on the train
Dr. P and Bea doing whatever they have to in order for this experience to be successful
Chats in cabin 6 with Dr. P and Peter
Experiencing my first laundry mat
Watching Brent’s face light up while watching the surfers in Munich
Cartwheeling in every city
German public transportation
“CRegend has it…”
Learning something new from every cultural experience and growing from every conversation
I know this isn’t the most eloquent or insightful blog post out there, but this is what I will remember about CR. Germany was simply amazing, and the people I got to experience it with are nothing short of incredible. I am so grateful for these memories that I will cherish forever. Switzerland, you have some big shoes to fill.
All my love,
Cooper
