I would walk around and seek out essential things like the nearest grocery store or the place where people in town were hanging out. It was like one big scavenger hunt! I also just walked around to get comfortable with hearing German all the time and to see what my town was like. I did things that I would enjoy at home like finding a bookstore and getting a library card. All these things helped me get to know my host city better and to make it feel much more like a home.
After getting settled into Greifswald, I found people who supported me and activities that have kept me busy since. The teachers I work with at Jahn Gymnasium have been some of the most wonderful people in my life. They check in on me and give me things to do. If I am sick, they recommend doctors for me, and if I am going on a weekend trip, they tell me fun things to see. I help my teachers in the classroom and they help me in Greifswald! I am also close with my roommates. They are students at the University. Sometimes we just sit around and talk about Germany and the United States. They have helped me learn a lot about what it's like to grow up somewhere new.
I also have jobs and hobbies that I have continued to pursuebin Greifswald. I work individually with some students to tutor them in English and German. When the weather is nice, I still go on walks or sit outside and read. I like to go into little stores in Greifswald and shop for postcards or for other little things that have German on them. I also like to practice my German by writing fun words with pretty letters. All of these things help keep me busy when I am not at school.
Moving to a new country and leaving your home behind can be really scary.
