Looking Forward and Looking Back

It has been almost ten days since I left Europe, and I’m definitely starting to feel more adjusted. So far I’ve only seen family members and a few close friends, though, so it may be a whole new story when I’m back at college.

I’ve noticed how many things are strange and foreign to me now, whereas before leaving the US I thought they were the norm. For example, some grocery stores are open 24 hours, but buying quality produce is quite expensive here. I had gotten used to living life a certain way in Europe, and I’m realizing that perhaps that life will just have to stay in Europe. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing… there were so many moments during my semester abroad when I missed being in the US, and with time that feeling faded to missing just a few things, like specific people or a specific place. When that happened, it became clear what I appreciated about being back home, and why these aspects of my life were so dear to me. More often than not, I ended up being surprised at what I missed. I’m more grateful for these things now than I was before I had to be away from them. I predict that I’ll have a similar experience in the coming weeks and months, one in which my overall nostalgia for Vienna will turn into a clear understanding of what was great about the experience, what was eye-opening, and what changed me.

In the gallery are a bunch of pictures from the semester that are special to me but I hadn't been able to share yet!