Hope

I'm back! Ah, it feels great! Actually cooking my own meals, eating Mexican food, DRIVING (on the right side of the road!) and being with my family in the warm... okay maybe scorching, weather. I've been running in the mornings because my internal clock now has my waking up at 6:30am, but I love mornings so I'm okay with it. This morning I used my EA Active for the Wii that I bought myself for my birthday. It was actually a really good work out, and kind of kicked my butt. I'm excited to use it more and keep track of my progress. So my last weekend in Scotland went well. The last night we went out and found a pub that was open late and they just so happened to turn on the Glastonbury festival and Mumford & Sons was playing. Just the cherry on top of a wonderful night. After 12 hours in the air and a few movies later I made it back to Phoenix, and have been soaking in the joys of being home the past few days. Being away has definitely taught me an appreciation for not just America, but Arizona and Phoenix. I have always loved where I am from, and coming back after the trip I especially appreciate the sunshine, open spaces, and amazing people Phoenix manages to encompass. Ah, all I can say is it is fantastic to be home, and it feels almost surreal that I have more than a month of being here until school starts again! I'm hesitant to start work again, but a few days a week will keep me satisfied I suppose.
I can't believe it is over, but every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end as they say. So here's to another chapter, after my mind has been opened even further to more cultures and the people around me. I have learned more about myself; how I am when I don't get enough sleep, when I have too much caffeine, when I'm angry, and when I cannot stop laughing and how the people that stick by me through all of that I can really consider friends. So thanks to the girls that I hope to continue to watch movies all night and make up accents with - my trip would not have been the same with out you.
Here is the letter our professors wrote us and read to us the last night of the trip and pretty much sums up my fantastic time abroad.

Each year I pick a theme for the group that I think captures some essence of this group. This year I've picked the word 'hope'. Primarily because a number of you had conversations with me during the year, hoping that you'd find the money to make the trip; hoping that someone would help out; hoping that you'd have the time; and hoping that it would fit into your schedule.
So, Drs. Tracy, Brouwer and Edson put together some thoughts for you--
What we hope you've learned by coming on this trip--
that money is better spent on adventures and experiences like this versus consuming things you think you need to own.
we hope that you've learned to trust in yourself
that anything worth doing well is worth doing badly in the beginning for example:
remember going the wrong way on the tube?
learning to ride the bus, where to buy the tickets for the bus; how to buy the tickets, and just what was it that the bus driver said?
learning to walk places because you can (OK, so its not 110 outside)
we hope you've learned that: a good Guinness is always pulled twice;
that there is a bell curve to drinking--one glass of wine or beer maybe better than a whole bottle or two of wine
we hoped that you've learned (back to walking) that walking is a form of transportation and isn't that bad.
how to live without your car, your cell phone, your text messages, and that you can choose to be disconnected;
we hope you've learned being outside of America--that you get to see how America and Americans are seen by others and how that may differ from how we see ourselves;
we hope that you've learned that you needn't go the bathroom immediately, you can wait, especially when we are at the theatre;
We hope you've learned that practical shoes work best on cobblestone streets;
how to travel how to get places, what to do when you arrive in a city or place you don't know
That beauty sometimes comes without lots of make-up and alterations;
that maps are a good thing
that you need not have a computer lab, or a traditional classroom to learn
that extraordinary learning can take place between and outside of the classroom;
we hope that you learned some history about:

Ireland
England
Great Britain
and Scotland
so that you understand just a wee amount about the people who live in these places.

We hope that you've learned that families come in weird and wonderful configurations and that this family (although about to split up) has provided you with wonderful new friends; challenging people and situations that you've learned from; and in general a sense of just how wonderful and different people are!

And finally, we hope that you've learned that professors not only care about course work, but that we also care about you as whole people and we hope that you've learned that memories--in the end--are all that we are left with. So we, Sarah, Dan, and Belle--thank you for being part of our memories. And we hope that others here will be a part of your memories in the coming years.

Dr. Edson, Dr. Brouwer, Dr. Tracy


Went Downtown and had some iced coffee and took photobooth pictures with the awesome big sis this morning, I'll share some of that later!
Have a happy Fourth of July weekend!
Alex