Huesne's Blog

 Sadly though, we had to depart and in the evening we made our way to the airport to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Talk to you when I get there!

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Company visit at IBM, 5/11/09

Our day started again early in the morning. I was looking forward to this visit, since I’ve always wanted to see how IBM manufacturing works on the inside. This particular branch of IBM was very interesting. I noticed right away that Asian business people are very well organized. The first thing they presented us with was an agenda for the meeting, which took place in one of their nicest conference rooms. The presentation was given from four different people and to be honest, it was a great experience to listen to foreign business people and how they conduct business with the rest of the world.  I learned a lot of new things, but they also gave a real world perspective of things I already learned from my classes at Clarkson. 

The company cares a lot about its employees; they even mentioned that every single conference was painted by their employees after office hours to build more teambuilding and creativity within the employees. This IBM branch manufactures storage devices and servers, so they showed us different computer devices used in retails stores.  Part of the presentation was also about Singapore and the future plant. IBM also gave us a tour through their company and showed us their manufacturing line.

After the visit, we went to the Night Safari, which is the world’s first wildlife park with a night view. It was unique experience to see the wildlife in a tropical jungle at night. The friendly guide told us that the zoo has over 1,000 nocturnal animals of 100 species. Wow, it was an amazing experience. Today, I learned a lot, too much information for my brain on a hot day like this!

Tomorrow we are going to visit the company Planvisage, let see what we are going to learn. Will keep you posted! But so far, I really love it here!!

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Singapore!, 5/8/09

Hello from Singapore!

On Monday May 4th, 12 Clarkson students, a professor, and I met at the airport in Syracuse, N.Y. at 6 am. We took our first flight to Chicago, had a four hour layover, then took a long and exhausting flight to Hong Kong. In Honk Kong we waited another four hours and then finally took the last flight to Singapore. All in all, it was a crazy, long 27 hours of travel. At 1 pm we got to our hotel, the YMCA, located in the center of the city.

Believe it or not, the next day, we had to get up at 8 am for our first company visit at Tyco Electronics distribution center. Even though it was early in the morning, the weather was hot and humid, which I didn’t mind it at all. The company visit was very interesting and insightful. The CEO of the company welcomed us with a great presentation of how the distribution center works and also gave us a tour through the company. It was very impressive to see how every single step is automated. They also provided us lunch and I was excited to try my first Singapore dish, but guess what? It was pizza!  Oh well, I had to wait for dinner to try the cultural food.

After we got back to the hotel, everyone went their separate ways for the evening. I went with some other students for a walk and ended up in a huge mall, which is one of the largest malls in Asia.  I love Singapore already because everything is so colorful, the people are happy, and it’s warm...very warm. There are so many things to see and do here. I will try to see and do as much as I can. Tomorrow we have a company visit at IBM. I am actually really excited for that, because IBM is a company that recruits alot of Clarkson students, so I can't wait to see how things operate there!

I also decided to share some photos with you so you can see Singapore through my eyes!

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Finally Finished!, 5/1/09

I did it!

I just came out of my last final exam and now I can say helllooo dear summer! I am finally done with my junior classes. I can’t believe it - I am officially a senior *smile*!

It was just a crazy week, but many of us know how crazy it gets in the final week. I  kept myself on track of my work by drinking coffee 24/7! And now I can focus on my trip to China, which will start on Monday. I will try to blog more often during the trip, so if you are interested in how I am doing on the other continent you can keep up with me on my blog.

While I was studying this week, I noticed how much more comfortable I have become up here in Potsdam and how much I actually love this place.  I remembered in the fall when I first came to Clarkson and I was worried because I didn't know anyone and I didn’t think there would be as much to do here as there is in New York City. Now I know that I really love it here, especially the people - students, professors, and staff at Clarkson. I can confidently say that I was surrounded by amazing people. And now, I’m taking this opportunity and thank all of the people who made this place to one of my favorite place in the US.

It’s funny, the other day I was talking to one of my friends and she asked my where I actually feel like home. After thinking about it, I told her that home is for me is where I have great people around me, people who put a smile on my face even when the sun is not shining. And right now, I feel like home here. My school, my church and my friends are so wonderful, that this little tiny town has become home now. So thank you all, try to keep up with me while I’m in China!

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What is "dead week"?, 4/24/09

Isn’t it great to wake up in the morning and the sun is shining into your windows? Especially up here in the North County. I love every second when the sun is out. Today it’s supposed to be a beautiful day, it will get up to 70 degrees in Potsdam. Yes, you heard me right! I can’t wait to go outside and take advantage of this gorgeous day! I don’t know how it is for you, but when the sun is shining, I  automatically wake up very early and try to spend the whole day outside. This fills me up with such energy and happiness that all the other things on my mind are gone. On days like this, I start to learn again to appreciate all the little things of God creations. 

It is unbelievable that the semester is almost over, actually it is over. All that’s left of it are my finals, which are Thursday and Friday.  This week we had “dead week.” I had no idea what that meant last semester, until actually this semester a friend explained what it is. Since I know what it is, I can explain *smile.* During dead week, which is one week before the finals, the professors are not allowed to give any exams. But then of course they can give other work, for example projects, extra credit work, and other materials to prepare you for the finals. This week I was doing an extra credit assignment which took me two days to finish. It felt so good after handing in it and it was done! I had other projects as well, but these were group projects, which weren’t as bad as my extra credit assignment. I love working in teams because many brains work better than one brain. I am so happy to be done with all the projects and work that needed to be finished. I just have to study for the finals now.

So, now I am going to get more sun before it disappears! Wish me good luck for my finals!

See ya next week!

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The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, 4/17/09

Yeeppeeyy!!!

Just 2 more weeks until all the finals and the stress is over. The closer we get to the end the more I get excited about my China trip. I started to learn some Chinese, for example I know how to say: 喂您好? (Hello, how are you?)

Looking back at my past week, I didn’t really do anything too interesting besides studying like a crazy girl. But wait, last week on Saturday I went to the "Elevator Pitch Competition,” which was put on by my Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization (CEO) Club. It was a lot of fun because Mike Michalowicz, author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur and CEO of Obsidian Launch, came all the way to Clarkson as our guest speaker and judge of an entrepreneurship competition. During the competition, Clarkson students had the opportunity to pitch their business ideas in no more than 60 seconds to see if Mike liked them. 

It was very interesting and encouraging to listen how Mike Michalowiccz became so successful. He also mentioned how he "gets things done using more ingenuity than money, more passion than experience, and more hard work than education."  Then he also said that he thinks that a tough economy is a blessing for entrepreneurs, and “having limited resources forces you to innovate and to be creative. That’s where all the best ideas come from, the ideas that could lead to astounding success."

All in all, it was a great presentation, especially when he held up a $100 bill and said: here is $100, come and get it.” Some people thought he was kidding, until my friend John Exley got up and grabbed the $100. He wanted to show us, by this example, that there are so many opportunities and we should not be afraid to go for it. I was sitting way back in the last row, but I would have not gotten up, out of respect. I wouldn't mind $100 though!

Alright, now I have to go start with all my projects. My goal for this weekend is finishing all of them!

Talk to you guys next week! Bye!

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Easter Time,4/10/09

Guten Tag,

I had an awesome time last weekend at the Basic conference. There were over 300 students from the nearby universities.  I have some news, but I will not tell you about it now, I'm going to wait until it's all set. I'm leaving you a cliffhanger, be patient!

Even though the sun is shining and it’s beautiful outside, I feel like today is not my day. Everyone has those days when just everything goes wrong. But I think it is okay to feel like that sometimes. It's funny when friends who know me very well, see me and know right away that there is something wrong with me. I am usually a very happy person and I love to laugh, even when the weather is ugly outside.  I love that my friends know me well and

This weekend I am looking forward to Easter. I invited a couple of friends over for the holiday. We will be going to church first and later they will come over to my apartment for dinner. I wish I could celebrate Easter with my family back home in Germany because it's so interesting how my family celebrates it. It’s been a long time since I celebrated Easter in a Greek Orthodox tradition with my family. I love the traditional food, it is just indescribable. You need to taste it in order to know what I am talking about! But for me the most important thing about Easter is the meaning of it, which I can celebrate anywhere. So I'm hoping to have a nice holiday with my friends at Clarkson.

I hope you all have a great Easter too!!

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Tea with the Queen?, 4/3/09

I love when we have beautiful sunny days like yesterday. It was such a great day to spend outside. I really enjoyed the sun! I just can’t wait for summer to come. But for now, I'll focus and get all my work done before finals starts.

In my last blog I mentioned that I was going to a business etiquette dinner put on by CSTEP. In this dinner, an etiquette expert from Potsdam, Christine Lancaster, taught us different rules for eating properly in a business setting in case we are ever in an interview situation and we don’t want to embarrass ourselves or hurt our chances of getting a job. I already have very good manners when it comes to eating so I knew most of the rules she taught us, but I did learn a few things. For example, I learned that when someone makes a toast to you, you are not supposed to drink to yourself. Luckily I remembered this when one of my lovely friends made a toast to me. I did not drink to it so I did not embarrass myself!

What was very interesting about Ms. Lancaster was how she mixed her personal stories with her teaching. She told us a story about how she once had tea with Barbara Bush and the Queen of Sweden and although she was very nervous she remembered her manners and the tea was very lovely. She also told us it was important to know the etiquette of other countries. When she lived in Vietnam she learned the regional manners and because of that, she fit into the culture very nicely. She warned us to always be aware of our etiquette, too. She told us a story of how she was having tea in the nicest hotel in Hong Kong when a bus of American tourists pulled in and ruined the atmosphere of the tea because of their poor manners. Overall, it was a very fun evening.

Now, I am leaving for BASIC, which is a conference in Syracuse, N.Y. for church and I am really excited about it.  It is going to be with people from all different colleges and it should be very fun!  Have a good weekend!

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Time to Relax, 3/27/09

Hello everyone,

Here I am again, back to reality. Looking back at my spring break, I really had an awesome time seeing all my friends and relaxing. Actually, I was also planning on doing some school work, but of course I did not even open a book!

As I mentioned in my last blog, I had a reunion with all my friends that I haven’t seen in a very long time. We had such a great time laughing and catching up on things. A friend from WCC stopped by to say hello and she actually told me that she is going to transfer to Clarkson University. I was happy to hear that! I spent a couple of minutes answering her questions about Clarkson and now I am excited to see her here next fall.

West Palm Beach was very beautiful and clean. I really liked staying there. Thursday my friend and I drove to South Beach in Miami to meet some other friends from home as well as some friends from Clarkson. But unfortunately we got stuck in traffic and were late, so we missed seeing them! The weather was not as I expected in Miami. It rained most of the time, but at least it was warm. It did not change the fact that I had a lot of fun. I still enjoyed being there and spending time with my friends. I stayed there until Friday night then headed back to Westchester to spend the rest of the weekend with friends.

It was really a nice week of break and after I came back to Clarkson I realized how much I needed it so I can focus on the last 5 weeks of school and give it my best. I know it is not going to be easy, but I will work hard!

So, hope you guys have a great weekend, now I am going to the annual etiquette dinner training. I'm looking forward to learn new things!

Ciao, talk to you next week!

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Greetings from Miami Beach!, 3/20/09

Hello everyone,

Just wanted to say HOLA from Miami Beach! I am laying on the beach right now and enjoying the nice weather today. I have so much to tell you guys, but you'll have to wait until I get back to town to hear more about it. Unfortunately, today is my last day here in Florida. I will be heading to NYC for the weekend and on Sunday I am heading back to Potsdam to start classes.  I had alot of time to relax, which will hopefully give me energy for the last 5 weeks of school. Of course no one gets enough of vacation, but somehow we need to get back to reality!!

Talk to you next week!!

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Spring Break!, 3/13/09

Don’t you guys think it is really crazy how fast time passes by? I can’t believe that half of the semester has passed and just six weeks of school are left. The closer we get to the end of the semester, the more I get excited about my trip to China, Singapore and Malaysia.

But for now, I can’t wait for my day to end, because my spring break begins today at 4 pm.  I think we all deserve a nice week of vacation, especially after a hard working week like this week. It is just not fun when all the exams and project due in the same week.

So, at 4 p.m., I will be heading to Westchester, NY. I have big plans for this break and I am so exited and ready for it! It’s insane, I have so many things I want to do during the week. I still need to figure out how to fit everything into my schedule, but I am sure I’ll find a way to manage it.

When I go to Westchester, I usually do a gathering with all my friends on the weekend. This time we will meet on Saturday in White Plains at one of my favorite restaurants to catch up on things J I really can’t wait to see all of them.

On Monday I will be going with one of my closest friend to West Palm Beach, where we will stay at her in-laws house (her husband's parents). I am looking forward to having a quiet, relaxing time with her. I am also going to South Beach, Miami to meet some of my friends who I have not seen in three years. I heard that some of my Clarkson friends are going to be there as well, so I'm going to meet up with them too!

I am excited to see all of my friends and get some relaxing on the beach. Next week I will let you know if I could handle my time management!

I wish all of you a great Spring break!!

Tschusiii

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Homesickness, 3/6/09

Hellloooo,

Today, I would like to talk to you guys about homesickness. Most of the time, when I meet new people and they hear I am an international student, the first question I get asked is, “Do you get homesick?”

When I think about, it is actually a very good question. But I make sure to not spend a lot of time thinking about, because the more I think about it, the more I tend to get homesick. The answer to this question is, of course I get homesick, especially going from a huge family where there is always something going on, to living in a apartment with a roommate who is almost never home. And of course during special holidays, I wish I was with my family. I think everyone who is far from home gets a little homesick, even US students. But international student, with our families in a different country, might feel it more. Sometimes it is not easy, I know, but it’s each person's own decision to choose how to spend their time when away from home.

When I had a downturn and was really homesick, I asked myself, "Do I really want to be like this, (feeing moody) or do I want the make this to an great experience?" I decided to really try to make this opportunity one of the best I've ever had.

So, what did I do to keep from being homesick? I started to fill out my calendar with activities on and off campus, going to the gym, meeting friends outside the classroom, and talking to friends I trust about how I feel. Or, when I do miss my family, I know I can talk to them on the phone for hours! As you have probably already noticed, I really try to keep myself busy and sometimes I don’t even have time to think about my family (shhh, don’t tell them, I’ll be in trouble then!)

I think anyone who thinks about studying in another country is brave because they have a chance to find a new part of themselves. I certainly haven't regretted a second of my time here in the US, even though being homesick can be challenging. In the end, it's definitely worth it!

Take care!

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All About CSTEP, 2/27/09

Hey Hey,

I am so happy that it is already Friday, and I am looking forward to this weekend. Once again, it was a crazy week of school and a lot of work.  During the week, I spent a lot of time on campus studying. Every time I needed a break, I stepped into the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) office. CSTEP is a program funded by New York State that provides academic help and support to undergraduates to succeed in their prospective professions. To be eligible, you have to be a New York state resident and have specific major and GPA.

Since I am not a NYS resident, I am ineligible to be a part of this program. However, I am a “buddy,” which means I can still stop by in between classes and use the office's resources. For example, sometimes I do work on one of their laptops, use the copy machine or just get a cup of coffee.

I love stopping by the CSTEP office because they don’t just provide “academic and career improvement, but cultural and personal enrichment as well.” The ladies in the office are wonderful and very welcoming. They listen to me and advise me in all kinds of situations I need support with. Also, I can be a part of their trips, activities and meetings. Last week, all the CSTEP students went on a ski trip to Titus Mountain in Malone. I could not go because I had other things going on, but I want to attend the next activity, which is a business-training etiquette dinner in March.

It’s always fun to be around the CSTEP students and most of them are already my friends, so we always have fun together. Outside of the CSTEP office we get together in town. A couple weeks ago we went to the Cantina (Mexican Restaurant) and we had so much fun. So tonight we’re going to try out a new restaurant, “First Crush.” I can’t wait to have another interesting cultural experience in Potsdam. Anything that has to do with culture, that's where you can find me. As you might already know, I love that sort of thing!

See ya!

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Vacation days in the North Country, 2/20/09

Hey there everyone, 

It was very nice to have a little break after a tough week of school. I got to relax, have fun and finish the things that were on my "to do" list. I almost finished all my assignments that were due without being under time pressure. But don't worry guys, I did not just do school work. I had also a lot of fun, which was, of course, the best part of break! 

During our four day weekend, I opened my apartment up to everyone who wanted to get away from campus (I live off campus and have a big apartment). Friday night, I had some international friends from Korea over. We cooked, ate food, and had a lot of fun. We talked and laughed so much that we forgot that before we knew it, it was two in the morning! The next day, some of my other international friends came over and this time we played games, watched movies, ate some delicious food (of course!), and talked about everything we possibly could. It was really nice to have people over. Just by watching, listening, and asking questions, I have learned so much about the different countries, culture and traditions they all come from. I love learning new things about people and their lives so break was a great opportunity to do just that. 

Saturday night my girlfriends and I had a sleepover! The next morning we woke up early to go to church together. It's always fun to get ready together in the morning, especially after a sleepover. It felt just like home with my seven siblings. We went to church at the Christian Fellowship Center (CFC) in Madrid, NY. I love going to this church, not just because I am a Christian, but because the people give you the feeling that whoever you are, no matter your religion, you are welcomed like family. I have Muslim friends who go too, just because the people are so nice. Another thing I love about this church is that is it made up of more than 35% students, who come from the nearby universities, so I get to meet students outside of Clarkson. Also, one family offers their house every Sunday after the church to all the students to have homemade spaghetti with meat balls. I love going there because I get to see all the friends I've made from the other colleges and have a great Sunday afternoon with welcoming local citizens!

Alright, the weekend is starting for me, so I'll talk to you next week!

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February Break is coming, but I am staying!, 2/6/09

Hi everyone!

This is so much fun. I am always excited to get back to you guys and tell you about all the happenings here at Clarkson. I am lovin’ it!!

I decided not to go on the Boston trip with the rest of the international students next week. I was invited by a couple of my American friends to go home with them too, which is always nice, but I've got other things in mind. I'm going to stay here in Potsdam to catch up on some studying and relax. I know it sounds boring, but trust me, it will not be. There are a couple of other students who are staying with me and we’ll get together after finishing our studies, have some movie nights, and do other activities in town. I am looking forward to it!

The past week was actually a crazy week. I had way too much to do, but I enjoyed it, especially recruiting to get more international students involved in the Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO). Everyone thinks that CEO is just for business majors, but there are all kinds of students involved, with majors like biomolecular science and mathematics. Clubs like CEO are great opportunities for international students to get an inside look of the American business world and gain some leadership skills. Through CEO, I've been able to get involved in special committees and make some awesome new American friends. I think there is a little something in it for everyone. We also have our own business that we run on campus, which is a kiosk that sells Clarkson items. Coming up in the semester we will be able to network with professionals, listen to guest speakers, and most importantly, have fun!

In my opinion, getting involved and learning skills from American culture and adding it to our own cultures will improve our way of thinking. Speaking from experience, I believe that learning from each other is the best way to have success in the future!!

“While alone we can make a difference, TOGETHER we can change the world.”

See you next week!

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Career Fair, Boston, and the Super Bowl!, 1/30/09

Today was the Career Fair. I really liked the fact that some companies took time and had informational sessions before the actual fair. Some visited us in the classroom and answered all the questions we had. It was very interesting to hear what each company is looking for when hiring. For example, the representative from General Electric (GE) said that his company looks for a great personality and extracurricular activities from its candidates…and of course GPA (but it's not as important!)  With Johnson & Johnson, we had the opportunity to talk to some former co-op students from last year. It was very helpful for me to hear the students' perspectives and experiences at the company.

I went well prepared to the Career Fair and I got to talk to a couple of companies such as Johnson & Johnson, GE, and Walgreens. What I really found interesting was that they advised us to go online to apply and get additional information. I was overwhelmed because there are so many great companies out there and it's hard to decide which to apply to. We will see what offers I get, I'll keep you posted.

But for now, I am excited about the next couple of meetings that I have from the different clubs I'm in. The International Student Organization (ISO) meeting is tonight and we will discuss a trip to Boston over spring break. I still haven’t really decided if I should go because I've already been there. Boston is a beautiful city and I really liked it. It looks like European city. If you go to Boston, you must see the Quincy Market. I also saw Harvard University. In my other club, the Transfer Club, we're having a Super Bowl party on Sunday. The Super Bowl is like the American version of World Cup Football (soccer in the U.S.!) I've seen it once before and I remember loving the commercials, so I can't wait to see the new ones this year!

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Traveling abroad and Clarkson career fairs, 1/23/09

Guten Tag !

As I mentioned in my last blog, I'm going to tell you more about my upcoming Global Business trip to China. I am very happy that Clarkson provides opportunities like this. The great thing about the study abroad programs here is that there are several different destination options, such as Italy, Croatia and Argentina. I chose China because I am very interested in China’s culture, its people, and its businesses. I know we're also going to visit Malaysia and Singapore, two places I've always wanted to see. I have a couple of friends who are going to Italy and Argentina and of course, I am excited for their stories when they come back.

I am sure that this opportunity will help me and many other students prepare to work and understand the international business environment. I am looking forward to gaining more knowledge and a better understanding of the business world in Asia, especially since the Chinese markets have been very influential throughout the world in the last few years.

Since I'm early into the study abroad process, I don't have full information on exactly what I'm going to see while I'm there. I'll keep you posted as I find out!

In other news…I am excited to go to the Career Fair this coming Thursday. There are over 85 companies that will be present, which is great considering the economic situation we're in today. I am considering going on a co-op next semester and that is why I want to take the opportunity and look into these companies. I made sure that the Career Center checked my resume because I know how important it is to have it perfect for employers. When I went last semester, it was amazing to see over 150 employees coming so far up north to Clarkson and presenting their companies.  So, I am really excited to be able to go again next week. I'll also let you know how it goes in my next blog!

Tschüss!

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My first semester at Clarkson, 1/16/09

Hi everyone! This is my first blog, and I just wanted to write that I'm excited to be able to share all my experiences at Clarkson with you.

Looking back at my first semester at Clarkson (fall of 2008), it was less difficult than I imagined to adjust right away to a real American college. In the first couple weeks, I missed my friends in Westchester County because it had become like my second home. Coming to Potsdam, I liked the small town, the community and the people right away. The campus is one of those where everyone sort of knows everyone. It kind of reminded me of my first home in Germany. Immediately, I gathered more information about how and where to meet new friends at Clarkson. I made friends right away and I noticed that professors and students went out of their way to welcome me.

I was surprised that Clarkson offers more than 100 different activities and clubs. After visiting the activity fair (which happens at the beginning of each semester), I signed up for some interesting clubs, such as the International Student Organization, CU-Transfer Association, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the CEO-Club. Being involved and joining these clubs has given me the opportunity to make wonderful new friends from all over the world and it also has helped me with my academics because I have more people to learn from.

The semester passed by so quickly that I did not really get a taste of the cold weather. Over the winter break I went back home to Germany. It was very nice to see my friends and family again and to celebrate Christmas with them. But I was also excited to come back to Clarkson and see my new friends and start classes. Now, I am looking forward to this semester because I have some exciting opportunities ahead of me, like a trip abroad to China and a co-op program.

In my next blog, I will tell you more about them!

Bis bald! : )

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