Reflections on a Semester Abroad...

So, I've been back in the United States for about a week now! It's a bittersweet feeling that I can't quite describe...

When Isabel and Rose took me to the airport last Saturday, it didn't feel like I was really leaving. I had slept in that morning, like we did most other weekends, and we had toast and juice on the front patio. Spring had finally come out in full force; Isabel's yard was full of color, and everywhere outside was a beautiful green! Who would have thought I'd get sunburnt during my time in Denmark?

We arrived at the airport and I held it together until the last second. I hugged Rose, then Isabel -- and then promptly started crying. Because as excited as I was to be going home to see my family, I also knew that I was leaving behind a new family that had been forged over the past semester. I cannot thank Isabel enough for welcoming me into her home. I enjoyed my classes and loved exploring Denmark through the DIScovery trips, but when people back in Illinois ask me how the semester went, my immediate response is, "I loved my host family!" Choosing to participate in a homestay was the best decision I made this semester, and I honestly could not have been placed with a better host family :)

As soon as I landed in Chicago, I realized I STILL HAD ROSE'S BIKE KEY CLIPPED TO MY WALLET. Luckily, Rose had just gotten a new bike (they're planning on selling the one I borrowed) and I can just send the key to her grandparents in Florida for her to pick up this summer.

I took it as a sign that they need to come visit me, though :)

It still doesn't feel like it's over. The semester flew by, and my next adventure is starting in just under a month! I truly hope there are opportunities to meet Isabel and her family again in the future <3 Until then, I have a ton of amazing memories and momentos from the past four months. It's been a great semester; thank you for following me on this journey!