Scribbles from Annie's Notepad

Annie Azongwara is a Cameroonian student resident in Germany. An exchange with her is always full of humor, intelligence, reflections and passion. This section of our blog is dedicated to this young brilliant mind and uses her writings, to inform and inspire others on life abroad and in Germany in particular.

New Destination 

There is that moment of mixed feelings when you have to take a new route in life. The feelings usually vary depending on what situation you find yourself in. For some it is a feeling of  "Yes! This is what I have always wanted. My dreams are finally coming true". Meanwhile for other people it is  "Oh well, it isn’t like I have another option. I’ll just take this chance."
Despite these feelings, your ability to achieve anything in this life and to administer progress depends at least 70% on your mind-set.
-Are you scared of the unknown or are you positive about whatever is coming up next?
- Are you accepting that  "This is it, I have to make it"?
- Do you have dreams or goals?
- How do you plan to achieve them?
These and many more are questions you must ask yourself. It is often said that “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
Think about what you leave behind though. Your family and friends as well as lots of amazing memories.
- Do you just want to walk away from all of these?
- Do you really want to dive into something new and start all over?
When I got my visa to come to Germany, it dawned on me that I was going to have to start life all over. Meet new people, learn new cultures and above all learn a new language. I realised how much I hate new beginnings. Each time I thought about it, I got chills.
My first days here were even worse. People couldn’t understand me neither could I understand them. I was usually poorly dressed for the cold. I got into any bus I saw coming my way and then got lost. I worked one of my first jobs and never got paid. I got in 45 minutes late for my 1st official exam (DSH) because I just couldn’t find the room on campus and wouldn’t ask for help for no reason in this world. Ignorance was always the order of my days. At the end of most days, I would cry and wonder why I ever came here.
Well at some point, I couldn’t take it anymore and I knew I couldn’t turn back. So I talked some sense into my own head. I set my standards. I didn’t care how high they were. I was ready to achieve; that’s all. I began to believe in myself and it started happening. I am not there yet but I am not going to stop. The better I get the more I am encouraged to do more. I wear a smile and take on these challenges that life has set up for me. I can’t thank my family and friends enough for the marvellous support.
The only reason why the past matters is because it makes you realise how far you’ve come and how far you still have to go. But you cannot stay there.