Was It Worth It? Lessons from Germany

“Was it worth it?  Everything is worthy. If the soul is not small. Who wants to go beyond Bojador, Must go beyond sufferance.” (Pessoa, 1934).

In this poem Fernando Pessoa was reflecting on the consequences of the Portuguese discoveries, however when he was confronted with the question, “Was it worth  it?” he replied everything is worth it, but everything has consequences, and you need to be prepared. My name is Diogo Maia, and I’m from Porto, Portugal and now  I’m writing this report I’m thinking about how I have changed and asking the same question. Was it worth it?

When I first arrived, I was advised to get out of my comfort zone and try new things, and I took that advice to heart in both my personal and professional life. Regarding my personal life, this semester has been a fresh start for me. I wanted to discover who I am. While in Porto, I was always known as the studious kid who went straight home after school and worked on weekends. Now in Germany, I'm embracing this new beginning by attending more parties and exploring new cities or experiences on the weekends. The only sport I played in Portugal was football, but here in Germany, I'm trying my hand at new sports like climbing and volleyball, and I'm really enjoying them. A semester abroad is an excellent opportunity for self-discovery because no one knows you before you arrive, allowing you to try new things without worrying about consequences.

As for my studies in Business Communication, I must admit that I haven't learned much specifically about communication or my field of study during my semester here. However, I have picked up valuable soft skills that could be beneficial for my future career. To illustrate, I recall an experience where a German friend asked for feedback. After reviewing his assignment, I emailed him my feedback and added a postscript: "PS: It's difficult for me to give feedback because, in my country, it's considered rude. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, it really means a lot. If I was rude, I apologize!" He replied, "Don't worry, in the land of fünfhundertfünfundfünfzig, feedback is not rude." In Portugal, feedback is seen as rude and unfriendly, but in Germany, giving and receiving feedback is normal and important. Being in Germany has taught me to give genuine feedback and understand that it's not about attacking the person, but about helping them improve.

Considering all of this, was it worth it that I didn't learn almost anything about what I'm passionate about? Was it worth it that I changed my personality? Was it worth it that I came to Germany? In my opinion, it was worth it, despite all of the consequences. I was able to meet myself and figure out what I truly wanted in life starting from now on. In my professional life, I will be more  professional because now I know how to receive and give feedback, and I learned a lot of soft skills which will make me more  professional than just knowing everything about all types of communication and the theory of communication.

This is not a goodbye; it's just a "see you later." See you later, Germany. See you later, Remagen. See you later, RheinAhrCampus.