As we all get older we think about where we were or what we were doing at another time. On the 25th of August 2001 I got on a plane and flew all the way to Germany to study at Universität Heidelberg for one year. I commemorated my studies in Germany with a photo-/scrapbook and recently went through the two (!) volumes of it. The above picture shows the opening pages, and my message to the reader can probably be viewed a bit better with the picture below.

I truly cannot believe that this happened over 20 years ago and all the things that have happened in my life since then and where I am today. Back then I certainly did not see myself as a doctor or ever thought I would take up learning Spanish or doing certain outdoor activities such as skiing or rock climbing.

But here I am, and I do all of those aforementioned activities. It was great to revisit an old friend and remember some old times and faces from my early 20s. This photoalbum was probably the last time I used an actual old fashioned camera with developed film (since then we have been spoiled by digital cameras and, subsequently, our smartphones).

I am not going to go on and on about my feelings of seeing who I was back then and show any more photos from the book mainly because the pics are not the best quality, but I was really struck by a pic of a quote I took from a side of a building (probably in Weimar, Germany, but I really can’t remember):

“Keiner kommt von einer Reise so zurück, wie er weggefahren ist.” No one comes back from a trip the same person as he left.

I don’t know the exact Graham Greene quote, but that is my loose translation from the German wording of it. I came to Germany to study during that time and certainly came back to the University of Georgia a changed person. I had developed so much independence during that time since I had to open up a bank account and get a study visa and other important things all while speaking German too. I also had to study German linguistics with the most proficient German language scholars.

And all the traveling that I did with just a backpack stuffed with clothes and a baguette, some salami, an apple, and some water. The nights I spent on trains and ferries during my travels through Italy and Greece. And plus all the people that I met and friends I had during those times.

It is unfortunate that I lost contact to a lot of people from during that time, but it was nice to see their faces in those photos and remember how much fun I had during that time. Wherever they are now, I hope they are doing well.

I do look back on those days as some of the best days of my life. With that said, I certainly know that there can be even better days ahead, and I hope everyone is taking some time to reflect on some good things during these difficult times.

As Ingo Zamperoni says, “Schönen Abend noch und bleiben Sie zuversichtlich.”

Good night, and always remember to keep hope alive.