Why did you pick this program?
What's your favorite story to tell about your time abroad?
Well that's an easy question! I've got quite a few weird ones.
One of the times that I felt most at home abroad was when it was storming like crazy one night, and my host mother and sister and I were cowering in our living room, wrapped up in blankets telling scary murder stories. My host mother comes from East Germany during the time of occupation, and she had some pretty gruesome ones from her neighborhood (that were true!) up her sleeve. I remember reflecting upon that night and realizing how happy I was, and how well accustomed I had become to the language.
How do you deal with being in a foreign country?
My response to that is always: get used to being uncomfortable, that's honestly one of the best parts about going abroad. You're going to be uncomfortable and studying abroad makes you figure out how to be comfortable in a totally foreign environment. So embrace the discomfort and occasional moments of embarrassment -- you're going to look back on them after your exchange is long over and realize that they were great moments of growth.