The day I stood in the line at the immatriculation office of Free University (FU) Berlin, I had no clue what studying would mean. I was confused by the whole system as such. Obviously, the newbies standing in line with me weren´t the right people to ask either. After a while I was admitted into the room where two ladies of advanced age put you down as students. I sat down, showed my credentials, and without looking up the lady said for the 100th time that day: "So what subjects do you want to be enrolled for?"

I, proudly: "History!" She, unmoved: "...and?" Me, irritated: "And what?" Well, it turned out that I just couldnt study history by itself - regulations demanded I take one or two more side subjects. Hm. There I sat. After a second, I remembered that in school I had always liked Political Science. Relieved, I offered to the lady: "History and... Political Science!" She, still unmoved, replied: "...and?" Now I was really dumbfounded. Thankfully, it occurred to me that our parents had always gone on holidays to Ibiza and the Canary Islands with us and that on our last trip I had been able to order a Coke with ice in fluent Spanish. Clearly, this was a founding stone. "Spanish!" I exclaimed to the elderly lady.

5 months later I found myself on the airport of Mexico City pleading with the officer on duty at the "Lost Baggage" booth.