Although the experience cannot be summed up into a single post, the only way that I can truly describe it is to say that it was a priceless, changing adventure that I will remember for the rest of my life. I'm proud of myself in a way, to leave a wonderful life at home behind for four months and to take the time out of my life to discover something new while I can. We all know what happens after graduation from college - real job, marriage, kids, etc., and I knew that if there was a time - it was NOW.
I went to places I wouldn't have imaged, and the impact of all of the sights I saw probably won't set in until I'm drinking hot cocoa in my living room in the middle of February. From the artwork of Rome, the canals of Amsterdam, and the beaches of Barcelona, I learned to carry my life on my back and I soaked in every second I could. I can now master most methods of public transportation, I know my way around a map, and (hopefully) I even improved my French speaking ability a little bit out of practice.
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| My beautiful welcoming home crew. |
For anyone considering traveling or studying abroad, I don't just recommend it, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE it. For those that have the financial ability, traveling is really the only thing that you can "purchase" that will make you richer in growth as a person. Through the amazing friends I've made, I have learned more about Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and Brazil than I ever would have thought, one would think that I didn't even study in Ireland! I got bits and pieces of everything, and it was perfect. Getting out of my comfort zone was difficult at times, but it resulted in beautiful friendships and I know that I will have a place to stay in more than 5 different countries in the future!
My flight from Chicago to Minneapolis was delayed 3 hours, I was bummed to be arriving four hours later than planned. But, I told my story to the agent about how far I've travelled and how little I had slept, and I was put on the standby list for an earlier flight. Wouldn't you know it - I got on! I arrived 30 minutes earlier than my original flight!
When I walked to the main baggage terminal, I heard a screeching noise and was surrounded and captured by my best friends, brother and parents at the airport. They had a sign there for me welcoming me home, just like in the movies. I felt like the most spoiled girl in the world with everyone there for me, and it was in the top happiest moments of my life by far. There's something about who you spend your time with that makes you "home".
THANK YOU to everyone for reading my blog posts along the way, it was an efficient way to reach my loved ones and to tell my stories. It was a great reflection piece for me, too! It challenged me to remember facts about each place that I went and to recall the little details about the culture to embrace what I learned. I will print out each post and put it in a scrapbook, as they turned out to be pretty hilarious to read through now! Thanks again, and it was a great ride.
I hope you all have a very Merry, white, and joyful Christmas. Thank you.
Love,
Lindsay Jacobs
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