It's the Home Stretch

Hello all! Tomorrow will mark 2 weeks before I leave Prague! Crazy...although I'm sad to leave, and I know that I will especially realize how much I miss it once I am home, I canNOT wait to go to the UK to see Brian. I am like a little kid anticipating Christmas Day or something like that, just bouncing around with this excited feeling in my stomach! That boy means so much to me...

My mom just left Prague early on Tuesday morning after spending a week here, and we had such a good time while she was here! We toured Prague and took a day trip to Cesky Krumlov-a town in the southern Czech Republic-and spent the weekend in Berlin. Needless to say, neither of us slept much that week! It was so different having someone with me in Prague, because I am so used to being alone while I go about my routine here. To have someone to talk to in the grocery store and on the tram and while walking around was so nice! Of course, I have traveled with friends when I leave Prague (except for Krakow), but here in Prague, I'm used to being on my own when I'm out of my apartment. It was so fun to have someone to show around the city, because I feel proud of how much I've learned and how much more comfortable I am with Prague since arriving here!

For the first time since coming to Europe, I had absolutely no mishaps or confusions with a train trip, which was nice! Not that anything has ever gone majorly wrong, but I always have a million connections or crazy conductors or people mugging me, and so to have a direct perfectly smooth train ride to Berlin and back was so nice! I found Berlin to be such a dichotomy of old and new, historical and up-and-coming, urban and traditional. It was really interesting, and of course since my Mom and I love history, we really soaked up that part of the trip. I keep thinking over and over since this semester started how crazy it is that I am actually visiting or living in places that I used to only read and imagine about. Growing up in Wisconsin, when I would hear about how Eastern Europe was under Communism, it all sounded rather abstract and far-away. Hearing about the Berlin Wall seemed like it was on another planet. Reading about battles fought in World War II was far removed from me. It's interesting to realize that so much of that kind of history is not that far removed when I'm here, and I am walking through the places where this actually happened. Not only that, but you can take it so much further back. Oh yes, this was built in the 800s. That was constructed in the 1200s. My oh my, are things in the U.S. so new in comparison!

When I said goodbye to my mom, I thought that I was doing pretty great, but as I rode the bus home, I realized how alone I all of a sudden felt. I liked having someone familiar with me, I liked having someone to chat with. That's what I miss about home, being able to call someone up and hang out with them whenever, or at least just call someone while I'm driving in my car, something else I miss so much! And the thing is, as wonderful as new friends are, nothing replaces the friends that you've had for years and are as comfortable as anything with. I'm really excited to have my phone (ok, I have a phone here, but this Vodafone POS doesn't count in my mind), a car, Miller Park, Brown Deer Road, Pick 'n Save, English, dollars, non-military time, temperature in Fahrenheit, things measured in miles and pounds and inches and gallons, Mountain Dew, Taco Bell, normal-priced Starbucks (really, $7 for a frappuccino here??), Jude and Luke, my family, my sweet Grandma...that will be wonderful! But there is so much that I will also miss here...See why it's so bittersweet?

I went paintballing for my first time ever just this week, and I've got an especially awesome bruise on my leg to show for it! It was indoors, and I did alright for my first time! I shot some people, I got shot plenty of times, I was the only girl there...all around, quite a good time! : D We went out for beers afterward at a Slovak restaurant where there were musicians playing old Slovak music and I honestly felt like I was back at Alpine Village (if you know that place, you really know me haha). And yes, I know Alpine isn't Slovak, but the decor and feel to both places were very similar! It was a fun experience, and I knew that my brothers would be proud. And I'm definitely doing it again!

<3