I gave myself support by investigating all of the new things I needed to learn how to do, and I gained community support through building local relationships.
Meeting and forming relationships with the new people around me is by far my favorite thing about living in a foreign country. I love learning about each country's different traditions, including what the people eat; how they celebrate New Years'; how they view climate change and their schools, etc. It's amazing how we can grow up in two completely different worlds (different languages, political systems, religions, and societal norms) and yet still get along so well! Plus when you make friends with people from all over the world, you can always visit them in their home country and have a place to stay and a friendly face! Learning about differences between yourself and others is the best way to become a more competent global citizen. So take every chance you can to learn more about those around you. Embrace the things you have in common, but also embrace the differences. Everything that makes us different is special. Differences make us unique.
German culture isn't too different from American culture. Some of the things that stick out to me is having to pay for water at restaurants; students singing good morning to their teachers; celebrating Christmas on the 24th and having to bag your own groceries at the grocery store. Socially, the Germans I met like order and rules. Beuracracy is never-ending and often causes more stress than seems necessary. I found it most helpful to learn to adapt to my new surroundings and embrace the differences. It not only helped me to integrate into the community but to learn to think in a different way.
