Looking back, I can't actually pinpoint how we met. It was probably during USC's "O Week". Of all the friends I have met while studying in Australia, Andre Huber is the one I have hung out with and seen the most regularly.
He is the guy that is always up to party or adventure but knows how to knuckle down and work hard to earn everything he gets. He is one of the most easily excitable people I have ever met. Just the idea of getting goon drunk makes him ready to party.
He stayed in Australia a lot longer than the rest of my friends from the first semester. When I started dating Kevin his title was 'Creep Cock Block' because that was his job when we went out. Kevin never had to worry about hearing about another traumatizing experience after a night out when Andre was around. One of my favorite people to dance with and just hang out and have a beer with. He always reminds me of how special I am because I am "the least American American" he or that group has ever met. On the off occasion that we got to catch up via text, he would always remind me that I am always welcome in Germany with him. That always made me feel loved. Even though I had never been, I had a home in Germany.
The first time I saw him after Australia was with Kevin after a long drive from Rotterdam. He was so excited that I was in Europe and that we were coming to see him in Spöck that he also invited our other German friends. For three days or so the six of us crammed in Andre's tiny apartment on the third floor of his grandma's house. He took us everywhere. Heidelberg, Strasbourg, and everywhere in-between. In the mornings and evenings, he would cook authentic German food for us. Mainly for me because I was the only one who had not had these dishes before. Mostly, a variety of bratwurst that I would never be able to find in Australia or the U.S. and if I did find it, it would have been ridiculously expensive. It was hard saying goodbye because I honestly had no idea when I would see him again.
I came back again the following year. This time by bus and by myself. He was still just as excited to me. We had to fire up the barbie and drink goon in celebration (I can't emphasize his goon obsession enough). I was only there for 48 hours before I had to catch another bus to Dortmund. He made sure to make the most of it. This time when he sent me packing, I was less sad because I knew I'd see him sooner than later.
Two years later, I was winging another very unplanned road trip through Europe and of course, it would not be complete without making a stop to see him. Except he no longer lived in Spöck. He lived in the more random, smaller and harder to get to Korbach. It was basically mission impossible to get to him but I made it. It really put my German skills to the test because almost no one I met in Korbach spoke English. It was great. We feasted and drank. The next day he took me to see all the important sights around Korbach.
Less than a year later we got to meet up in New Zealand. He had a month to travel to New Zealand and rather than just do whatever, he schedule the first two weekends around me so that we could road trip around the North Island. Thanks to Andre I have seen more of New Zealand in two weekends than I have in three months (Partly my own fault because I keep booking flights to Australia on my holiday weekends). He made me feel like I was home in New Zealand. He made me feel balanced and loved.
When you put yourself out there, someone will be there to meet you. Maybe it won't always be halfway but they will meet you where ever they can. That is why I keep living. Because I am loved. Because I love him too much to let him live a life without me.