Home is where the cookies are right? All I've wanted to do for the past week now is make cookies (not biscuits, real, AMERICAN, cookies) So yesterday, I did it. 3 batches too: 2 chocolate chip and 1 peanut butter (cause you gotta convince them English to like it somehow!) Yes, I would say I went a little overboard, maybe, but toally worth it! And they turned out really well actually!
But enough about cookies, on to sentimental stuff.. 100 days is a long freekin' time. Enough time to change a person. And that I've done, I've learned a lot too, and I've been to a ton of places, but no experience compares to the friends that I've made here. They're the ones who have gotten me through the "rough times," the homesickness, and all of the many crazy nights we've had. Without them, I don't think I'd be here today feeling as good and as accomplished as I do.
Emily and Brianna, both from New York, were some of my best American friends that I made here. They're fun, crazy, and everything that fits a definition of New Yorkers. They were an absolute trip on our Spring Break trip, and are part of just about every memory that I have from that experience. They made me step out of my comfort zone and learn to live it up, that every second counts, and of course, YOLO.
Chris, Montana-Chris as I still refer to him, was one of my first friends here. He lives right across the hall and we have a class together (though we hardly ever saw eachother there) on Thursday mornings. He is one of the smartest crazy people that I've ever met. Such a fun, party-guy, but yet, was smarter than almost anyone I've ever met. He's going to make a great doctor someday!
Chris, German-Tour-Guide-Chris as I refer to him in my brick of a phone, is one of the most well-rounded people that I've ever met. He's frrom Germany, lived in Paris, and is now studying in England. How many different languages is that?? And he's studying tourism, which was extremely helpful the first day in Paris! He's practically a giant, and he loves to learn. He's always asking questions and is one of the sweetest people in the whole world.
Brennah, from Arkansas as I 've mentioned dozens of times before, was my first real friend here. From the moment I met her, I knew we'd get along together well. I think we really hit it off when we both realized how chill eachother was at this trip (^) to Stratford-Upon-Avon. We also have that Fairy Tale class together on Thursday mornings, and she, unlike Chris, always made it to class. She is a real southern sweetheart who is completely in love with books and art. And though that's practically the opposite of me, I'm so glad to have found someone who has lived a completely different life than I have. It's nice to be able to talk about a completely different world sometimes.
Marissa is my abolutely gorgeous friend from Colombia and lives in Flat 62 with all the boys. She is who I go to mass with on Sunday mornings and is one of the sweetest people I've met here. I totally applaud her for leaving her family, her boyfriend, and her language behind to come and study here. Understanding British English is hard enough for a native American English speaker, let alone not speaking the language beforehand. Even though she speaks fluent English, I cannot even imagine doing what she has done.
Rob is the level-headed one of the Flat 62 bunch. He's very smart and always puts his studies ahead of everything else. Though he doesn't come out with us much and has to go home on the weekends to work, I've really enjoyed getting to know him. I'll always remeber him with that smirk he always has on his face.
Matt Johnson. He's one of those guys who is usually really quiet and just hangs back. But then, you get him going and he is literally the funniest person you'll ever meet. He's infamous for holding our buzzer down for AGES before he heads back into his own flat, which is always really annoying, but I'll miss it.
Oh, Calvin. I really wish I had been able to get to know Calvin a little better, but I know he made the right decision. He chose to work this semester and though he lived in Flat 62 last semester and the beginning of this one, he comes back for visits, and never seems to change at all. He's got the biggest ego of anyone I've ever met and loves to look in the mirrors and thinks he's some sort of body builder... but he's a true sweetheart deep down.
There's tons of other people here that I haven't mentioned, but definitely haven't forgotten about and my flat is next, but there's no way I'd be able to do them just yet. I'm ready to go home, but I'm not ready to leave them yet. So I'll save them for now. 100 days down, 19 to go. I've loved every second of being here and while I can't wait to get home to see my family, my friends, drive my own car, and be able to choose the water temperature, I really do love it here. These people have made it that way. Saying goodbye to them will be one of the hardest things I'll ever have to do, because the reality is that I probably won't ever see any of these guys again, as much as I'd like to. Reality has really set in the past couple days and even though I do still have time left here and there are still memories to be made, I have two more papers to write and an exam to prepare for. All good things must come to an end eventually, whether we like them to or not, all we can do is remember all of the memories that were made, and the people that made those memories worth remembering.
Cheers for now,
Katie
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