My laptop died before I stored it in the Prague airport on
May 22nd. Just this morning I got the gumption to charge my laptop
in order to write this blog. Since coming back to the states I’ve still been
going at 100 miles per hour. The day after I returned home I quickly did
laundry and packed up my life. The following day I moved all my belongings into
my new house in Kearney. All these thoughts kept me preoccupied the last few
weeks and made coming home a fairly easy transition. I’ve been confronted
countless times about how it feels to be back, and each time I struggle to find
the right answer.
Following our final class field trip across the Czech
Republic I hopped on multiple planes squeezing in the final destinations on my
must see list. First on the list was a quick stop in Brussels. We flew into
Brussels late and the next day split our time between Brussels and then the
afternoon in Bruges. The next morning we headed for Athens. A quick pit stop at
the Acropolis and then back to the airport that night to Santorini. It was
finally time to slow down with 3 days of beaching in Santorini. After soaking
up some Santorini sun we ventured to the Greek island of Crete. Here I spent 6
more days of beaching and zooming around the island in our rental car. Soon
enough my sunburnt skin and I were headed back to Italy to pay Milan and Bergamo
a visit. The next night was spent sleeping on the ground in the Prague airport.
I awoke early and continued my long journey back to the Good Life.
 |
| An unforgettable sunset dinner in Santorini |
 |
| Conquered my fears and held a snake!! |
 |
| One of the many beautiful beaches of Crete |
As I attempt to look back on my last three months it’s hard
to fathom what I have experienced. I casually talk about our weekend trips to
Paris and Berlin like it’s just something out of the normal. This will no
longer be the normal. Others scoff and laugh when I casually mention hopping on
a $12 train for Berlin and I have to take a step back and really look at what I
have experienced.
I was never home sick and thought I would dread leaving
Europe. As my final days came to a close I was indifferent about leaving. I was
surprised that I wasn’t sadder about leaving this magnificent continent. My
experiences have been indescribable and nothing short of a life long dream. I
thought to myself, how could I be ready to leave Europe? My conclusion has been
that during my three months I was constantly traveling and looking forward to
my big trip the upcoming weekend. Going home was just the next big trip on my
itinerary.
We are constantly looking forward to the next big thing in
our lives and I question if we ever stop and appreciate the times in between. Being
conscious and aware is crucial so you never miss the importance of the small
moments in your life. As I reflect on my past three months abroad, the small
moments are the ones that mean the most. These small moments have turned into
big memories.
Settling into this pace of life is going to take some time
to get use to. I look forward to seeing how these past three months will change
and shape the next years to come. I’ll do my best to describe and share this indescribable
experience I have been blessed and grateful for.
