Dear exchange diary,

the river of time has flowed farther and brought my beloved Norwegian brother in crime’s life-in-a-year close to its expiration date. Perhaps for the last time, I sit on this mighty swivel chair of mine, at least when it comes to bringing my very own impressions of being an AFS volunteer and hostbrother to digital paper.

Linz was first when it came to being invaded by a particular Norwegian during the outskirts of his exchange. AFS Upper Austria had organised one last goodbye-picnic for the students residing in Upper Austria and neighbouring counties. One I sadly couldn’t attend but one which seemingly nevertheless was a whole lot of fun (rumours say).

Vienna was second. It was doomed to have the last exchange student party taking place there, within the days of the “Donauinselfest” — a free-to-attend festival on an island amidst the Danube. Again, I couldn’t be part of the whole groove but as before, it apparently still was bloody fun, although it became one hell of an emotional vortex — quite understandably so, this close to a radical life-change.

And before we all had even realised it, the final week had seen its advent. Our favourite Mexican came over one last time n’ some super ominous Norwegian also came over to his in Linz for one last blast, as we would go on to baptise those precious final days. On Thursday, two days to his flight home, another AFS volunteer from Salzburg and I went to his school-class and held the new AFS school visit workshop there (which I very likely have mentioned in a previous post). At night, my family, he and I had one ultimate pizza together whilst indulging in all the memories we had gathered during this exciting year. Sure we all had learned quite a lot about this crazy carnival called life as Norwegian folklore would say.

Finally, to build a bridge from the present day to my own experience abroad: In the middle of July, I’m going to visit my infamous Portuguese hostbrother who’s currently doing a hotel-internship in the picturesque capital of the Czech Republic, Prague. In anticipation, my dopamine receptors are already firing like machine guns, and I’m very much looking forward to reconnecting with him while being able to visit a beautiful town. Exciting stuff.

All for me there is left to do is expressing my hopes and certainty of just as exciting stuff waiting for you too — just around the corner called comfort zone. Do my n’ your self a favour and take a step.

Julian

04/07/18