The past few weeks have been flying by quite fast and I don’t think I really have the time to just be “in the moment”. It almost like a blur of emotions, actions, and feelings rushing by every day and I wish it could be a little slower. Well actually, I don’t know what to think. Sometimes I think, ” Why am I here? What is the point of this?” I could be at home with my best friends doing sports, flying, going to school where I can actually understand everything and get good grades and feel good knowing I am competent in what I am doing. But in the long run, I will hopefully look back on this year abroad and think, ” I actually did that?”
Someone once told me, ” To run a marathon is wonderful for everyone. Afterwards, they feel like they can accomplish anything.” I think I ran too many marathons 😀
Us as human beings always want something better. It is never enough. But the funny thing is, you have all you need around you. We forget the necessities of life such as family, a home, pets, school, and so forth and focus on luxuries, but when we don’t have what we want, we are angry, upset, and want to get it.
In the past three months I have learned to focus on what I have and be grateful of it. Sometimes in the USA, I would get bored at school and think, “Why do we need to learn this? It’s so stupid!” Or get upset with someone in my family. Or whatever the instance, I was not grateful. But now I am 5000+ miles away from everything I once considered my home. And I miss it. I wish I could go to school and understand and get good grades. I don’t miss it because it is far away, but because I was not that grateful for what I had.
Traveling abroad changes a person. You become more mature, intelligent, confident, and ability to comprehend things that a typical child or you before didn’t understand. It is adventure, guilt, happiness, tears, love, hate, and understanding. I don’t know if you can understand.
I have matured so much in the past few months, I don’t know how I will be like in 7 months from now.
Do I miss the old me?
No, I do not. I am happy for myself that I can fully understand what I didn’t before and the things I do now.
The biggest goal I have conquered in the past 3 months is conquering laziness. Not all of it, but nearly all.
My grandma once told me when I was younger.
She said, ” Igor, when you don’t feel like doing something, do it.”
I asked, “Why?”
“It makes you stronger. It builds your self-discipline. ”
When you are self-disciplined, you have no barriers, nothing stopping you from success. Maybe some faults here and there, but once you get up that agonizing mountain to the top, you are at the top of the world. You look down and literally will know and say, ” I succeeded.”
Well, for me, that is quite literal, because I know I have succeeded when I am piloting a jumbo jet 35,000 feet above the ground, so yes, literally the “top of the world”.
I am sorry, but I will not be writing the book about my exchange year. I have no desire to do it actually. Not laziness, but I don’t want to. Instead, I am writing another book. It’s about how to be happy as a project for Biology.
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3 things I have learned about in the past time are:
-Never give up. When life gets hard, push harder, because you are almost there. It’s like reading a book, you know? The plot (hill) keeps going up steeper and steeper, until you literally need to climb up. But that’s where the fun begins. That’s when you know your almost there. And then, you fall off the mountain and SPLAT! Buahaha, no, really. Then you get up there and you are a star (like in the picture).
-Be grateful for what you have. Someone once said to me, “It is the little things in life that mean the most.” Here is a good example: You are in the desert alone for the past two days and don’t see or have anything except for the sand between your feet and the clothes on your back. Out pops a Genie and says, ” I will grant you one wish. Any wish”
You will then probably say: I want water. Or I want to go home. I want my family. I want to know where I am.
You will probably not say: I want that new BMW from this year. I want to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower.
Why not? Because you are focusing on the simple things. And when they are gone, we want them back. Be grateful for what you have, because you will not only be happy, you will realize you live in abundance.
– Realize what is around you. This last one is straight forward and I will leave you with something to think about for today.
” Our bad days are someone else’s good days”
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Oh, and of course, what have I been doing? What is Germany like? and so on.
Weather: It get’s dark here are 4:30pm and is bright around 7:30-8 am.
Time: It’s a 6 hour time difference from my home.
Friends: Getting along well with others and made a few friends. They are really cool and have many similar interests as I. They are good, funny, and helpful.
Host Family: is wonderful. Getting along very well, doing activities, and talking. Yesterday, I saw a football, no, soccer game with my host-aunt and uncle. Today, I went mountain biking with my host brother and went to a Chinese restaurant with my Host- Oma and Opa. (Grandma and Grandpa).
Health: Is good. Leg has recovered and feel fine. I try to eat healthy, exercise, go to bed early, read good books, maintain a good sense of humor, and so on. Only problem is acne, but I’m hoping it goes away soon. I don’t like acne. Frankly, I don’t know who does.
School: (GULP) Haha, no, school is wonderful. I learn new things, learn German, and am getting good grades. I changed my insanely hard math class with a easier class I can understand (same as AP Calc.) I look forward to studying and getting a good SAT score when I come home. I also want to go to the Aeronautical University of North Dakota and Major in Commercial Aviation or Aviation Business Management. Don’t worry. I won’t loose my passion for flying anytime soon!
So yep, that’s about it! Please reply and comment with questions and comments, because I would love to help and answer your questions and I feel good when I get comments 🙂 .
Have a wonderful start of a new week! Anything can be possible in the next 7 days, so make it good!!!
Take care you readers and thanks for doing your job (Reading :),
Best,
Igor
Igor Miller 
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