It's not Goodbye, it's see you Later...

                   I've begun the slow and painful process of saying my goodbyes to my family and friends, and it is as difficult as I thought it would be and then some. The range of friendships I have is vast, from high school friends I see once or twice in the summer and on break from school to some crazy girls that I lived with during my senior year of college to family I have known my entire life. What I have found to be even more surprising is how different each of these goodbyes has been to each other and to what I thought they would be. From each goodbye I have taken something with me that I will keep in mind as I prepare to depart from the comforts of home.

                   My high school friends have taught me that it's never truly a good bye, it's see you later. We have had a bi-yearly ritual of gathering for an afternoon of gaming ever since we graduated in 2007 and 2008. One of my favorite parts of winter break was Boxing Day. Not because I am Canadian (because I'm not), but because every boxing day my friends and I would gather for an epic game of Super Mario Brothers on the Wii. It was something that I always looked forward to because sometimes it was the only opportunity I would have to see my friends. Since all of us were in college, and one of us in the lovely state of Ohio, our schedules did not allow us to see each other on a regular basis. Now that we are going our separate ways (one going to Grad school in CT and myself going to Germany), it's hard to know when we will be able to meet up again, and that makes saying goodbye scary because you know that things will never be as they used to be. But my friends reminded me that it's not goodbye, it's see you later.

                   My roommates taught me that some things never change. We have not all been together since one of my roommate's graduation parties in May. We are radically different but somehow we've managed to maintain our friendships. With one of us already working a full-time job and another almost done her first semester of Grad school, I honestly thought it impossible for all of us to come together. Yet somehow we found the time to gather for a few hours. And after a few minutes it felt as though nothing had changed from when we were back in our dorm having a sleep over a few days before graduation. Well, maybe there were a few differences, like the fact that we weren't sleep deprived. But it was nice to be able to see each other before we branch out to jobs and grad schools and our new lives as college graduates. While I know it is unrealistic to think that things will be like it was when we were living together at Assumption College, I'd like to think that I will still be thought of often (particularly when Breaking Dawn-Part 2 comes out). While it may be difficult to see each other in the upcoming years, it does not mean that we are not able to miss what we once had. But I still believe that some things will never change between us.

                   I learned in saying goodbye to my family that you are never forgotten; family is family. Some family members I see rarely, and for some the majority of our encounters are at celebratory functions. But the goodbyes I received were much more heartfelt than I thought they would be based on the frequency of our visits. And I realized that those people who I see on a regular basis know that I will be coming back to see them and share all of my adventures. Those who see me less often gave just as heartfelt goodbyes because the times we see each other are fewer but just as precious. And all family is important, no matter how frequently or sparingly you see them. So to my family members who are reading this, know that I am grateful that I got to spend time with each of you before I left. You made me feel like even though I will be gone for some time I will always have a place to return to when I'm done exploring the Black Forest.

                    I love you all, and I am truly blessed to have each of you in my life. Thank you for being there for me, for supporting me, and for believing in me that I can defy gravity.

Three Weeks from Today...

Three weeks from today I will be on a flight out of Boston, MA to Frankfurt, Germany! I'm very excited (and nervous) to embark on this part of my life's journey. I'm very relived that I received my orientation information this week via e-mail. I was somewhat afraid that once I arrived at the train station I would be thrown into the middle of the fifth largest city in Germany without any assistance. Thankfully, this is not the case.

So far I know that I will be taking two different classes once I arrive in Marburg. One will focus on the German language and the other will be a class on the culture, politics, and history of Germany. We will also receive some cooking lessons to help familiarize ourselves with the fresh ingredients available to us in local markets. In addition, we will also receive help obtaining our visa, a bank account, and a cell phone to use for local calls. They will also be taking us on three different excursions to Edersee, Frankfurt, and Weimar/Buchenwald. I am hoping to find some more information about these places before I go so I can make the most of each trip. 

Be sure to check back to see what I've learned about each place I'm going to, and if you have any recommendations don't be afraid to share! 

Bis später! 
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