Why Is Independence Important To Me

Some would say independence is a blessing. However, in some cases, independence can become a curse if you let it. I learned this myself through my own challenging experiences. At only fifteen years old I entered a world of freedom and independence I had not yet encountered; I went to Germany for a year as an exchange student. During that time I had to adapt to new-found freedoms and conquer the hardships that come with living in a foreign country. Navigating obstacles throughout my exchange year independently drove me to become more confident in myself, and taught me how essential perseverance is in life, while also helping me to better understand and appreciate other cultures. As expected, a foreign country has a lot to teach. I left America as a high strung,

I had to relearn and apply a profusion of confidence to things that we normally do not need to, such as: raising my hand in my courses, traveling, and simply speaking to people. In similar fashion, making friends took a great amount of confidence that I originally had not prepared myself for. I had to overcome my shy nature and build up the courage to talk to others. Furthermore, during the year, I had to learn how to persevere through difficult and demanding times on my own. For example, I had to continue to be positive despite being lonely, homesick, and frustrated, and continue toward a goal: to fully integrate into German society. This included issues such as solving problems with my host family all on my own. There were times where it seemed as if my life was like a movie where everything went wrong; however, like most movies, I knew there would be a happy ending and I had to keep moving toward it. Another lesson I learned, but certainly not the last one Germany can teach, is a deeper understanding of the world and its culture. Integrating into a foreign country gave me a new appreciation of German culture as well as other cultures as I experienced how