I feel like it's time to write again. I'm sorry I never wrote the rest of any happenings from Europe... writing began to feel like a chore, and that's about the time I feel like it's no fun anymore. Which is why I don't think I can ever be a journalist. Though I'm going into Public Relations... figure that out.
Anyways, after my last entry I wrote, a group including Bethany and Laura went to Italy- Cinque Terre and Venice, while Meredith and I and a couple of other girls stayed in Vienna for the weekend. We had a huge paper due the coming week, plus I was getting really tired of traveling. However it was a productive weekend... I got a pea coat and we visited the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market) at the Rathaus, which quickly became one of my very most favorite things from Vienna (in fact I really only ever want to go back at Christmas time).
The next weekend, Bethany and I headed off on our own to Mannheim, Germany to go see Phoenix perform. We made it there safely and everything went really well while we were there. Mannheim was actually very friendly and very beautiful. This is also where I got my first taste of champagne. Ha. The concert was AMAZING. We were about the first two in line so we got right up to the stage. This proved hazardous later when we realized that we had to move with the crowd to save our lives.
I never want to go to a concert where i have to stand again. I felt very violated... The bands were great, we got cute t-shirts, and we left unscathed... physically, maybe not mentally.
The next morning we got up super early to catch a train to Bruges to meet the rest of our group. It took us a long time but we made it there. Bruges is a terribly confusing place but GORGEOUS. Maybe the coolest laid out city we went to. We met up with our group (after some mass confusion and frustration) and went to the Christmas market that was in their square. After that we went to the Chocolate Museum which was pretty boring but yummy. :) We headed back to the train station to catch a train to Brussels, from Brussels to Frankfurt, and then a night train to Vienna. My last night train and I slept the best. Maybe I was just completely exhausted.
The next weekend we went as a huge group to Zell Am See, Austria. Most of the group was going to go ski but with my bad knees I didn't even want to try. We spent that weekend studying for finals, walking to the downtown of the city (past a terribly gorgeous lake) with baby Stella, and eating. So much eating!! But it was all really yummy.
The next few days we spent about the town and doing our favorite things around the city. I was sad about leaving but was super ready to head back. In fact it didn't really hit me until we left Venezia for the last time that we were really leaving.
But we headed out. It was a super long journey but luckily I had the 10 hour plane ride seat to myself. As excited as I was to get home though, I was super nervous to get off the plane. I didn't know what home held for me.
And it sucked. I'm not going to sugar coat it. By the second day home I wanted to go back to Austria. I saw my parents and loved on them but Europe was just so much better. No pesky boys to deal with.
The past few weeks have been some of the hardest to go through. I lost the love of my life. And he doesn't seem to care how I feel about any of it, more interested in the one who moved in in my absence. My parents are super stressed out by family issues and I just feel helpless. I was stranded at home with no friends for a week and was super relieved when my friends started trickling back home. Never under estimate the power of friendship and a good hug. They were the firsts to make me feel like myself again, and with the help from them and the wonderful power of prayer, I have begun to start feeling ok about all of this. I'm a catch and worth so much. I really think this is for the better, however bad I feel about losing a friend.
I hope in the future we're able to become friends again. It might take me being a better person and loads of forgiveness, but I think it can happen one day.
I thank the Lord for my super wonderful family and the best friends a girl could ever ask for.
