From Tabea Groß

Ínbound from Germany

1998 - 1999

Yesterday it' s been exactly a year from when I left the Bahamas to get on the US- bus trip. I remember that on the plane to FL I cried the whole trip. I really felt bad bc I had to leave when I finaly got settled in Freeport.

When I came back to Germany it was like coming home after a two- weeks- vacation. Nothing had changed. I' m serious! My family was really great, though, how they had prepared everything to welcome me. At school it was not very hard for me to go back one year and not to graduate this summer with my former grade. This way I got and still get to know a lot of different people. Although they are all younger than me I made lots of friends. And sometimes it's really weird, bc people would come up to me and ask for my advice or some help just bc I' ve come around a little.

Concerning my friends, about half of' em are still my friends, the people I kept in touch with when I was in The bahamas. The other half is more this superficial kind of people that I'm not sorry to not be friends with anymore. But since I came back I met so many other people so I got more friends now than ever. And now it is also easier to get to know people and just walk up to people you actually don't know.

I learned a lot on my exchange- mostly things that I realized later and that I wasn't able to work with back in The bahamas. And there were of course times when I could not appreciate my stay in The Bahamas- but now I can. I can just close my eyes and lay on the beach or have a Bahama Mama with Karro (Sweden), Stepho (Belgium) and Santiago (Ecuador- the other three exchangees on the island) in Port Lucaya.

I think that if you once had this taste of the world, the world keeps pulling on you to get up and get on your way to experience more and to see more and to meet more people. But I can to appreciate to stay at the same home with the very same family for more than three months.

If someone asks me today where for me is home, I tell that person, that it is not only Germany and it ist not only The Bahamas- it is the place where I meet friends and where I can share the time given to me with people I love and that might be anywhere.

So what I can say to the kids who are now leaving FL or GBI is: Don't be scared of getting home, it'll all be alright. You will keep in touch with the people you want to keep in touch with. If your parents get on your nerves you can tell them ( they are not gonna call Rotary and send you to another hostfamily). And if you are scared that people at home will expect to much of you guys now that you' ve seen the world just ignore them. Be yourself and they will love you!

And most of all: Do not forget to thank all the Rotarians!!!!! I bet they did the best job ever to make your exchange work.

That' s all for now. If anyone wants to know more (more details maybe) here

is my e-mail address:

tabeagross@hotmail.com

Bye, Tabea



	*From Tabea Groß* *Ínbound from Germany* *1998 - 1999* Yesterday it' s been exactly a year from when I left the Bahamas to get on the US- bus trip. I remember that on the plane to FL I cried the whole trip. I really felt bad bc I had to leave when I finaly got settled in Freeport. When I came back to Germany it was like coming home after a two- weeks- vacation. Nothing had changed. I' m serious! My family was really great, though, how they had prepared everything to welcome me. At school it was not very hard for me to go back one year and not to graduate this summer with my former grade. This way I got and still get to know a lot of different people. Although they are all younger than me I made lots of friends. And sometimes it's really weird, bc people would come up to me and ask for my advice or some help just bc I' ve come around a little. Concerning my friends, about half of' em are still my friends, the people I kept in touch with when I was in The bahamas. The other half is more this superficial kind of people that I'm not sorry to not be friends with anymore. But since I came back I met so many other people so I got more friends now than ever. And now it is also easier to get to know people and just walk up to people you actually don't know. I learned a lot on my exchange- mostly things that I realized later and that I wasn't able to work with back in The bahamas. And there were of course times when I could not appreciate my stay in The Bahamas- but now I can. I can just close my eyes and lay on the beach or have a Bahama Mama with Karro (Sweden), Stepho (Belgium) and Santiago (Ecuador- the other three exchangees on the island) in Port Lucaya. I think that if you once had this taste of the world, the world keeps pulling on you to get up and get on your way to experience more and to see more and to meet more people. But I can to appreciate to stay at the same home with the very same family for more than three months. If someone asks me today where for me is home, I tell that person, that it is not only Germany and it ist not only The Bahamas- it is the place where I meet friends and where I can share the time given to me with people I love and that might be anywhere. So what I can say to the kids who are now leaving FL or GBI is: Don't be scared of getting home, it'll all be alright. You will keep in touch with the people you want to keep in touch with. If your parents get on your nerves you can tell them ( they are not gonna call Rotary and send you to another hostfamily). And if you are scared that people at home will expect to much of you guys now that you' ve seen the world just ignore them. Be yourself and they will love you! *And most of all: Do not forget to thank all the Rotarians!!!!! I bet they did the best job ever to make your exchange work.* *That' s all for now. If anyone wants to know more (more details maybe) here* *is my e-mail address:* *tabeagross@hotmail.com* *Bye, Tabea*