International Life

I start my day to the beeping of my alarm clock and the pattering of the rain outside. I snuggle deeper into my covers but then spring out of bed, ready for breakfast. I tiredly rub my eyes, sleepy from too much homework. When I'm ready, I check my day planner and hop on my bike prepared for the rain with my pink down coat and rain jacket.

Riding to school, I see the old and young with shopping bags or just taking their morning stroll in the rain. They are all wearing drab colors, mostly black and brown. My bright coat, purple bike and American style back pack scream foreigner and American to everyone around me. But when I get to school, I am completely normal, maybe even a little under dressed. Everyone is babbling away in English, Italian, German, Japanese and Spanish. It doesn't seem weird at all to be wearing a skirt with leggings and a pink coat. (Luckily we don't have uniforms.) As I put my bag into my locker I hear strange accents wafting up from the corridor. British, Australian, New Zealand English accents, who knows. It is a mix, a foreign land of not quite Germany, not quite America and not quite England.

I check my crazy, sporadic schedule once again and walk into my first class of the day. To fast forward a couple of hours, it's lunch. I hurriedly gobble down some food because I'm starving after 4 hours with no break. Then, I pack up my lunch and run to my next class so I won't be late. So, goes the day until I am finished with all my classes and I hop on my bike once again, back to the apartment. I plop my stuff down, do my homework, play my instruments and eat dinner.

When it is finally time for bed, my head is buzzing from the day's activity. Some of my days are even longer because I have cello or flute lessons and sometimes flute ensemble at lunch. I like my busy schedule but it doesn't leave much room for contacting friends and family (Like you!) so, if you ever don't hear from me for a while, remember my international life and know that I will contact you as soon as possible.