Well, technically, my adventure has already begun. I said farewell to home, parents, goats, cats, horses, and dog the day after Christmas in order to spend a week and a half with my family in the Netherlands, where I have not been in almost seven years. Thus, the last couple of days have seen me in the small town of Borculo in the middle of endless Dutch “boerderijen” (farms).
On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the historic event, and I was lucky enough be there for the commemorative events. White balloons were placed where the wall used to stand, and on November 9 they were released one by one up into the night sky.
Berlin is easily one of my favorite cities and I think this is a universal feeling as anyone who’s visited has nothing but good things to say.
Some thoughts:
My last night in Italy was hard because there was this air of finality around everything I did, even though I’m coming back. Mary, Erin, and I left for Florence, exhausted and sad, but at the same time happy. We all, regardless of whether or not we were ready to leave Italy, have had some pretty amazing times.
1.02 Uhr
The lights dimmed and the conductor took his place on the podium. As the overture rang out, my goose bumps rose. It was my third time seeing Mozart’s Zauberflöte, but the beginning notes always give me chills.
At this point, I have come home from Tokyo, and I am at last writing a blog post in my room, with my speakers blaring, and my dog at my feet. It’s been quite a journey, and I’m glad to have been able to participate. So, what made Tokyo so special for me?
Preparing to leave your study abroad location is possibly one of the easiest and hardest things you’ll find you have to do during your program. By the time things are said and done, you will most likely to be longing to see your family, hang out with your dog or cat, and just generally settle down from the sensory overload you’ve been experiencing. However, the fact that you will be leaving all the new relationships you’ve forged over your time abroad will be in the back of your mind, so be prepared!
After a long day of travel on Sunday in which I emotionally said goodbye to my host family and flew home with IES friends Emilie and Steve, here I am three days later with my family on the morning of Christmas Eve. It has been really weird being at home again in the sense that nothing has changed, but I have so much. I am still thinking partially in Spanish on a daily basis, and I’ve been waking up in my own bed thinking I was waking up in my homestay in Madrid. My family is super excited to have me home, and I am excited to be home.
