Why did I ever have to leave this country in the first place?  Even though Germany is the place where I spent the shortest amount of time (just over two years) I feel like it is my home.  I simply love everything that it has to offer and its simplicity of life.  Of course I was saddened to leave it back in November, but I knew that I would be coming back for graduation so that made it a bit more bearable.
Being back in Germany, even though it was for only a week, made me realize how much I fell in love with the place.  I knew that I loved it, but didn't really comprehend exactly how much.  Upon our return even my mom was missing it, and she was the one who a few years ago said she would never live overseas again.  There's just something so attractive about Germany that draws you in to its beauty and makes you wrestle to leave its clutches.  We are actually debating about whether we should go back next summer or the summer after since we have a friend whose son will be graduating then.  I definitely want to go back again.
I think the two things I missed the most about Germany was the music and the general sense of belonging and community.  When I heard the radio for the first time again I fell in love.  This is what real music is, none of that Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift crap that dominates the radio in the U.S.  I made my list of music and as soon as I got home I downloaded all the songs that we are missing out on here in the U.S.  That sense of community and belonging was also very important to me.  We were walking around the KMCC the day we landed and it was as if we had never left.  We saw people and chit chatted for a while, and everything was just normal.  It was truly spectacular.  After my wonderful experience I am truly debating whether or not I should become a DoDDS teacher because then I could just live in Europe for the rest of my life.  That would be an ideal job for me, but I don't know how much my mom would like that one!