Reflections

Saying Goodbye to a Place that has Become Home

This article didn’t get finished until approximately two hours before we got on a train to catch our flight to Russia. In other words, we meant to begin writing this about two weeks ago, but put it off until 2:19 am before a 5:57 am train. Our procrastination was not due to laziness, however. Jacobs is a place where we have been able to form unique bonds with people from all over the world, and —realizing that we only have a few weeks left—we have been trying to spend as much time as possible with these friends before we depart for good. Though the thought of leaving is one of remorse, we are confident that our friendships will last long after our Jacobs days are over.
The semester has been one of alcohol (obviously), German everything, freedom, new dancing styles, and exhausting amounts of traveling. This was both expected and enjoyed. What was not expected, however, was the type of place Jacobs is and the type of people we have encountered and learned to love. At first we felt isolated; not because people didn’t talk to us, but because we were not yet part of the fabric of the community. Every person here is so integrated into the Jacobs community that merely being present and sociable is not enough. Only after we attended the CID’s, participated in weekend events and joined student groups was it possible for us to begin to realize the potential for growth here.
This is a place where people come to learn in an academic sense, but we have become learners in places other than the classroom here. We have learned how to be ourselves. Here no one knows much about where you’re from, who your family is or the values you hold. You come here with nothing but who you are. The experience of offering who we are to people who are eager to learn and rejoice in differences has had a profound didactic effect on us. A friend told us that he “is not a product; [he is] not trying to sell himself to anyone.” Here, emphasis is placed on personal identity. Because of this, we have been able to become more familiar with who we truly are even though we are in a completely unfamiliar place. For this unexpected and invaluable opportunity to find ourselves on a level that is completely unbiased we would like to thank all of you. We have had a great semester and really do not want to leave.