In 1992, a friend of mine told me she wanted to go to the United States on an Exchange Student Program. This was the first time I ever heard of anything like that - and it did sound enticing. One year later my friend Isabelle and I started collecting information on existing programs.

There were a couple of reasons for leaving Germany. First of all I had been watching too many US TV-shows and was reading lots of high school literature. When you are still in the process of finding yourself you tend to aim at whatever socially succesful life they sell you in the media - but for the largest part I just could not look at the same old German faces anymore. 

It took me a while to convince my mom that it is of utter importance for my future to fluently speak the American language and get to know the culture of the politically and economically most powerful country in the world. Of course I failed to mention the TV-Shows ;-) Finally she agreed to let me participate in the INTO high school program.

I am almost 17 when I get on the plane.... still drunk, because we had been partying the night before until 4am. Maybe this is the reason why I feel like crap at the Frankfurt Airport - or it is that talkative and thus tiring other exchage girl sitting next to me on the airplane. She does not stop talking for hours. 

But here goes the whole story... if you care to read your way through it: 

In memory of Daniel Lonergan who is greatly missed by all of his friends (*April 10, 1978 - † November 5, 2006).

LIVING THE WRONG DREAM

• Part I - August-September 1994 (culture shock, first impressions)
  
  
• Part II - September 1994 (getting used to a new life, the first step in the right direction)
  
  
• Part III - September-November 1994 (starting school, learning about high school and social life)
  
  
• Part IV - November 1994-March 1995 (first love, X-Mas, Homecoming, US-parents)
  
  
• Part V - March-June 1995(changes, Easter Break at Missouri, Graduation, saying good-bye)
  
  
• Part VI - Back in Germany