Transatlantic connections

I am preparing for my first extended stay in Germany in nearly 5 years, and I am surprised at how anxious and excited I feel. Why anxious? Because I haven't seen friends and cities in so long, I am wondering how they have changed. Why excited? I love the rush when I get off the plane and that switch flips in my brain. Everything switches to German (the way I talk, the way I walk, the way I eat), and I marvel at the fact that I can feel so comfortable in a different culture. Not only do I feel comfortable, but I am also accepted.
How did this come about? I suppose from years of travel and immersion in the German language, literature, and culture, but it really dates back to my very first study abroad experience (a 6-week immersion program in Freiburg offered by the University of Pennsylvania). It was then that I fell in love with all things German related.
Recently, I corresponded with several former students, some who use German in their professional lives and others who don't. Each of these students emphasized their study abroad experiences as foundational, whether they use German today or not.
I constantly hear about threatened programs, and as we all scramble to explain why German is an important language and encourage schools and institutions to offer a palette of languages, we should also reflect on the way that study abroad enriches one's life. It is through the language that we connect with people, and it is these connections that will help our global society through the myriad challenges it faces.