The Return Trip and Some Reflecting

My flight from Berlin to Scotland was delayed because of some snow. I was able to make it to the grocery store before getting back to the flat and I actually did run across campus back to my flat because it just felt so good to be back! I went to the Wallace Monument with my friend Elsa and took a night to go out with the friends I made that were still on campus. Lisa and I headed to Glasgow the afternoon of the 19th in order to beat the storm and make sure we were by the airport. We had a relaxing night out in the city and watched a movie and skyped my family from the hotel room.

The next day was an adventure - I went to the airport with Lisa the following morning (who flew out hours before me) so I spent A LOT of time hanging around the airport! My flight out of Scotland was delayed an hour and then from Iceland, it left another 30 minutes later. Then on the flight home, we were put in a holding pattern because it was snowing in Boston. Point is - I made it home!!!! Ryan and Chris were waiting for me right outside the international luggage return and boy were they a sight for sore eyes. My mom and dad drove the van up and we all hugged like crazy people! When I got home, I ran right to Sugar's cage and found out she wasn't excited to see me because Katie, Mary Kate and Tina were waiting right next to her cage on the couch to surprise me! They decorated the house and I ran right by it! They also managed to cover my ENTIRE bed in balloons... =]

The holidays were wonderful it was great to be surrounded by all of my friends and family for the first time in months. The family had a great Christmas. New year's eve was spent with the Church family as usual and then with Katie and some friends in New Britain.

My flat mate Melanie came to visit me Jan. 3rd-9th. I met her in New York on the 3rd and we spent that first night roaming around Times Square and Rockefeller Center. The next morning, we headed for the UN Building and had a really interesting tour. If you ever go to NYC, I would recommend it, especially if you are like me and don't know too much about it. After that, we walked by the Chrysler building, headed down to the Financial District and the World Trade Center. We also walked over the Brooklyn Bridge before heading home to CT for dinner with the family and Katie. I got a really awesome cold so the next day, we took it easy and had a driving tour of Haddam and the shoreline and even made a stop at the beach! Melanie started to get my cold (she will tell you that it was really because of allergies!) so we rested up and headed to Boston for a day trip on Thursday. We stopped by Frog Pond and the Mass. State House which was hosting an inauguration that included a very large amount of free food that we took on the rode for dinner! We headed out to Old North Church where Paul Revere started his famous ride and then followed the Freedom Trail to the Revere house, Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the Bunker Hill monument and the USS Constitution. On the way home, we stopped to visit my friends Steph and Kofi in Worcester. Friday, we went to breakfast with Katie and then went up to the airport to pick Chris up. We spent the rest of the day with the family and packed up for NYC. Saturday, the three of us visited Central Park, took a trip on the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, went up to the Empire State Building and overlooked Times Square from the Marriott hotel. We grabbed a meal and then headed back to the hostel for an early night in (bedtime at 9pm!) Melanie got in a shuttle at 4:30am! to head to Mexico for her study abroad program (she made it safe and sound!) and Chris and I spent the rest of the day exploring the Financial District, World Trade Center, Times Square and Rockefeller Center before heading back to CT.

I've been using my time at home to re-organize and get ready to head back to Clark. I am looking forward to going back with my same routine and have regular extra curriculars! It will also be good to have my friends near me again and to finish up senior year back in the states! If everything goes according to plan, I will graduate on May 22nd =] It's been great to be at home and to finally get some of the sleep I always seem to be missing out on! I still can't believe that time has gone by this quickly!!!

My trip abroad was an amazing experience that I am so glad to have had. I made some really great friends (and so far, I have managed to keep in touch with all of them!) and I learned a lot about myself on my trip. There are tons of other mushy, life affirming things I learned and experienced but I wont bore you with those! But what I do know is that I definitely have a thirst to travel and I can't wait to go back to Europe to see my friends and then get out there and see more of the world! Hawaii is my next big trip and I am SO excited - I think it's just about 50 days until I am headed out there!

And this morning, I finally finished organizing all of my photos and ALL of them are up on facebook now. I think there is a way to share the link with people who aren't on facebook and as soon as I have time to sit down and figure it out, I will send those around!

Hope these posts weren't too long or too late for you!!

Love, Shalyn =]