How did I end up here?

How did I end up here? A question I ask myself everyday. Where is "here"? "Here" right now is in my room at my host family`s house in Henau, Switzerland - a small town with only about 1200 inhabitants. After being born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa this was something completely abnormal for me but this is what I chose and this is what I asked for. After finishing High School and sitting in my class at University one day, I thought to myself: "I need to go, and I need to go now." I had no idea where, why or when but a few months later I found myself boarding a plane soul alone to Switzerland to begin my adventure as an exchange student for one year. Ironically it was the easiest decision I made but it lead me to some of the most difficult situations such language barriers, culture clashes, loneliness and home sickness. Yet in these past 9 months, I have learnt more than I could have ever imagined, made friends quicker than I could even say the word friends, saw and experienced things I could only have dreamt of, gained family members whom I`ll cherish for the rest of my life and even learnt to speak German fluently. Now if you ask me, that`s what travelling is about. Its about going through the hardships that mould you and learning to love and appreciate everything you see and everyone you come into contact with. After all this time, everything is still so surreal to me. I feel like I`m about to wake up at any moment from the longest dream and realise that it was all in my head but days, weeks and months has come and gone and that still hasn`t happened (thankfully.)
I often find myself going for a walk and whether I may find myself in a busy street, or all alone in a field, I stare at my surroundings and just marvel at what this beautiful land has to offer and it is exactly at this moment that I once again ask myself:"How did I end up here?" My answer could be so complex and I could say things like "Being a Rotary Exchange Student opens up doors" or "Because I applied to be here" but no. My answer is simple. I am here because this is what I chose and this is what I asked for. No further explanation is needed since its pretty straight forward. I strongly believe that you can achieve what ever you set your mind to which is why I am more than satisfied with saying "I am here because I want to be."