The End Has Come

Hello Everyone,

How are you all? I hope great and well! I am doing pretty well also.

It seems like only a few days ago did I leave Salzburg, Austria and fly over those beautiful mountains I have come to know and love and land 24 hours later in Chicago, Illinois, USA. My flights themselves went very well with a few minor problems such as lost luggage and a small delay, but all things considered, I made it home fine and safely!

My journey from September till now can not be summed up in a few words. I have learned so much, grown in several different ways, and will never be able to reproduce what I experienced the last eight months. I know I have many more opportunities to look forward to, but I am glad I have had this wonderful year to dwell on and think about at the moment being!

After being home for about a month, I have run into many friends and family members and all always ask how my time in Austria was. I have come to find answering this question is one of the biggest challenges for me right now. Of course my time was amazing, wonderful, unforgettable, etc. However, even though it is true, that is what most people are expecting to hear. Therefore, this question I am asked seems to be partly rhetorical!! Even so, I still love to be asked about my travels and I try not to bore everyone with my never-ending stories!

In addition, even after being home for over a month, I still am feeling the transitioning effects and am ready for that to continue for awhile. Life is very similar to the way I left it back in August, however, I had changed what I was used to and going back to the original way is sometimes harder than one may think. I am still getting used to that!

Well, I just wanted to wrap up my year abroad with one last message. I hope everyone enjoyed reading my experiences as much as I enjoyed taking part in them and sharing them with you! I will be continuing my blogging as I head off to Kansas and embark on many more journeys. I will soon be starting up another blog at the address of http://1000journeys.blogspot.com/. I encourage anyone interested to continue to follow my adventures and track what my life is bringing me!

I wish everyone a super summer and happy holiday travels themselves!!

Till the next blog,

Dana