"It's been a long road, gettin' from there to here..."

"...it's been a long time, but my time is finally here."

It's been a long journey through this semester abroad, but my stay in Germany is finally at an end. In 16 hours and 22 minutes my plane will be taking off (well, as long as there isn't a delay), taking me away from Germany for at least a year. There have been plenty of ups (traveling, meeting new friends, spending time with Pascal) and downs (tooth fiasco, bureaucratic headaches, a touch of homesickness), but on the whole the 7 months here were fantastic. Although the timing of my study abroad program meant I had to give up a few things, like working this summer (hello, empty bank account!) and going on trips with my family, I am so grateful that I had this opportunity and only wish I could somehow relive it all again.

In case there's anybody still reading this thing, there will be a few final posts within the next month. A couple will include random pictures and discuss some cultural topics. And since near the beginning of my stay I wrote a post entitled "Things I Miss about America", I figure it's only fair to conclude the blog with "Things I Miss about Germany".

But in the meantime I'll be trying to cram as much quality time with family and friends in Spokane into a 2-week period as possible. Wish me a safe and delay-free flight!