The End...Or Is It?
I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I stink at this blogging thing. I got busy enjoying life, which from my end things, is a positive. But from your end you're probably all thinking, "Goodness sakes, has she died? Or run off with some good looking English boy?" Now as much as a wish the latter part of that speculation was true, I have not died (obviously) and I have not run off with that adorable guy who works at The George in London (shout out to Alex).
But really friends, this has been quite the adventure and I dread coming home and facing the fifty billion (approximately) questions about where I've been, what I did there, and what my favourite parts were. As most of you have facebook, I'm sure you've noticed the plethora of photos that have documented my travels. For those of you who don't have facebook, here's where I've been since I left school, in order with the number of days stayed there in brackets. Brace yourselves.
Prague, Czech Republic (5)
Barcelona, Spain (5)
Cinque Terre, Italy (3)
Salzburg, Austria (1)
Ljubljana, Slovenia (1)
Zagreb, Croatia (4)
Friedrichshafen, Germany (3)
Siena, Italy (2)
Naples, Italy (2)
Sorrento, Italy (with days trips to Amalfi and Pompeii) (4)
Agerola, Italy (3)
Rome, Italy (4)
Dubrovnik, Croatia (5)
Venice, Italy (3)
Schladming, Austria (2)
Salzburg, Austria (2)
Munich, Germany (2)
Friedrichshafen, Germany (3)
Ermelo, the Netherlands (2)
Amstelveen, the Netherlands (2)
Amsterdam, the Netherlands (1.5)
Durham, England (5)
London, England (3)
Durham, England (current position)
In a nutshell. There was some bouncing around, and the map on which I traced all my travel routes looks utterly ridiculous, but heck, this has been one wild ride. I've met some crazies and some beautiful souls. I've seen things that I just can't put into words and others that weren't so incredible. Basically, I've come to the realization that this place is just that. Just another place. Like Huntsville. I romanticized Europe so much before coming that I must have ruined some parts for myself. Others delivered more than I was expecting. Point is, this is daily life. This is normal for people here, which seems like a blatantly obvious fact, but when you dream in fairy tales like I do, realizing that this place is normal life is as huge revelation.
I've been dreaming about traveling Europe since I was at least eight years old. That is over ten years of dreaming and building up expectations in my mind. But the thing about Europe is that the magic doesn't just happen. You have to look for it. In Venice it's the sun dancing on the water of the canals, reflecting onto the bottom of stone bridges. In Amsterdam it's the constant scent of pot lingering in the air while the Dutch roam around, drinking beer in the darkness. In England it's the whispering in the cathedrals of ages past, of the millions of feet that have tread their stone hallways. Some people don't see it. It's just another dirty canal, or another grungy coffeeshop or another massive building of stone that "if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all." But not me. No, that canal is a realm of magical impossibilities, that coffeeshop is, first of all legal, and second of all a place of revelation and calm for some, and that church at a first glance might seem the same as all the others, but the closer you look and the harder you listen, the more stories flow from the walls.
That is the magic, uniqueness, and history of Europe. And I got the privilege of exploring it. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. So maybe I romanticized, realized this was real life, and then found the magic anyway. Nothing in this world is without a little something, and it's up to you to discover that something for yourself.
But really friends, this has been quite the adventure and I dread coming home and facing the fifty billion (approximately) questions about where I've been, what I did there, and what my favourite parts were. As most of you have facebook, I'm sure you've noticed the plethora of photos that have documented my travels. For those of you who don't have facebook, here's where I've been since I left school, in order with the number of days stayed there in brackets. Brace yourselves.
Prague, Czech Republic (5)
Barcelona, Spain (5)
Cinque Terre, Italy (3)
Salzburg, Austria (1)
Ljubljana, Slovenia (1)
Zagreb, Croatia (4)
Friedrichshafen, Germany (3)
Siena, Italy (2)
Naples, Italy (2)
Sorrento, Italy (with days trips to Amalfi and Pompeii) (4)
Agerola, Italy (3)
Rome, Italy (4)
Dubrovnik, Croatia (5)
Venice, Italy (3)
Schladming, Austria (2)
Salzburg, Austria (2)
Munich, Germany (2)
Friedrichshafen, Germany (3)
Ermelo, the Netherlands (2)
Amstelveen, the Netherlands (2)
Amsterdam, the Netherlands (1.5)
Durham, England (5)
London, England (3)
Durham, England (current position)
In a nutshell. There was some bouncing around, and the map on which I traced all my travel routes looks utterly ridiculous, but heck, this has been one wild ride. I've met some crazies and some beautiful souls. I've seen things that I just can't put into words and others that weren't so incredible. Basically, I've come to the realization that this place is just that. Just another place. Like Huntsville. I romanticized Europe so much before coming that I must have ruined some parts for myself. Others delivered more than I was expecting. Point is, this is daily life. This is normal for people here, which seems like a blatantly obvious fact, but when you dream in fairy tales like I do, realizing that this place is normal life is as huge revelation.
I've been dreaming about traveling Europe since I was at least eight years old. That is over ten years of dreaming and building up expectations in my mind. But the thing about Europe is that the magic doesn't just happen. You have to look for it. In Venice it's the sun dancing on the water of the canals, reflecting onto the bottom of stone bridges. In Amsterdam it's the constant scent of pot lingering in the air while the Dutch roam around, drinking beer in the darkness. In England it's the whispering in the cathedrals of ages past, of the millions of feet that have tread their stone hallways. Some people don't see it. It's just another dirty canal, or another grungy coffeeshop or another massive building of stone that "if you've seen one, you've seen 'em all." But not me. No, that canal is a realm of magical impossibilities, that coffeeshop is, first of all legal, and second of all a place of revelation and calm for some, and that church at a first glance might seem the same as all the others, but the closer you look and the harder you listen, the more stories flow from the walls.
That is the magic, uniqueness, and history of Europe. And I got the privilege of exploring it. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. So maybe I romanticized, realized this was real life, and then found the magic anyway. Nothing in this world is without a little something, and it's up to you to discover that something for yourself.
Dearest Mickeelie, as you head out of Europe tomorrow we pray for safe travels.
ReplyDeleteAs you return may you continue to glimpse the magic, experience the uniqueness and study the history in the world around you. Interestingly, this has been your approach in each of the chapters of your life ever since you were little (remember Mike and Ben? ~ you even told Mike he would have to move out if he was going to draw on the walls with your mini pencil :) ).
Now as you look towards further studies another whole world to explore is ahead of you which you will grasp with your unique eyes and heart as you have the gift to do ~ to see beyond the obvious.
What a journey!!
So now it's the beginning...or is it?