The Difficulties of Homesickness

So, I have made it through my first weekend here in Nitra and I am alive and doing well! This being said, I will not say this adjustment has been easy. It is extremely difficult being thrown into this situation. I love new things, but I also like understanding what is happening around me (which happens very rarely now) and I like being able to communicate…a lot (yes, I am a chatty cathy ;) ). Here though, I am unable to communicate much (I have begun learning kitchen appliances though? That should help my daily conversations…lol). Homesickness has definitely hit me at times, something I wasn’t really expecting in all honesty. Although, it is very common. I have found that the easiest way to get your mind off of it is to go out and do something, even if it is something mundane, like going to take the trash out. You will 99.9% of the time see something new and exciting that reminds you why you went on this exchange on this first place.

I have begun making friends as well! I have the exchange student from Taiwan (who is a lot of fun to be around, and he is teaching me some Chinese in exchange for me helping him with some English). I also have the exchange student from Argentina, who will be in my class for this year. She is super sweet and funny. I am helping her with English and she is helping me with my Spanish. The coolest thing though is that the three of us are having a blast trying to learn Slovak together. With them not knowing English very well, it is definitely a harder adjustment than for me. I can’t imagine coming to Europe and not knowing either English or one of the European languages, it would be so tremendously difficult.

I have also met a Slovakian teenager who is my age as well. She is the class above me (since exchange students aren’t allowed to be in the last class in school here), but she is most likely going to be a good friend of mine while I am here. I am going with her and some of her friends around our city on Thursday and I am so excited to begin my actual adventure here in Nitra.

So far, this exchange has been mainly paperwork and just boring stuff, but with school starting next Monday I am positive I will begin enjoying it more. I am worried though, since next week I will be staying with my grandmother who knows only Slovak and absolutely no English, but it will be a good time for me to start diving into this language. Sink or swim, I suppose. This country is very beautiful though and everyone is interested to hear all about the United States and how I am feeling about their country. They also want to make sure I am comfortable and okay all the time (which gets a little exasperating but it is out of love, I am sure).

I miss you all back home, but when I return I will have so many exciting stories to tell you. I cannot wait!

Dovidenia!

(excuse the lack of photos please, I promise I will be posting some soon)