Leaving is hard

the last few weeks flew buy and it's almost time to go...this post is more for me than you. Just a reminder that no one can ever prepare you for saying goodbye. That makes saying goodbye a bit scary, which is also what is so wonderful about it. By saying goodbye and confronting it head on, you are brave. No one likes saying goodbye, it is simply one of those things that we must do. So should you find yourself needing to say goodbye to anyone, anything, or anyplace let yourself feel it, don't try to hide from it because in the end it's always there. Also, don't try to confront it early...it has to be at the moment of parting.

For me, I know that all of these wonderful people will pop up again in my life. I also know that I can return and see the same sights. So I guess what I'm really saying goodbye is to everything: the whole experience of being here. And what an experience it's been. I've done things I never thought I could do or would do...which is so fulfilling. I've pushed myself and seen how much I can handle and where there can be breaking points.

So why did I study abroad? I think to be free. To throw off all preconceptions of anything and remove all of the clutter in everything. This I have done and I'm pleased to say I found something. I'm not sure what I was looking for here...but what I found was better. I found an experience that was life-changing in all the right ways. For it showed me that everything is life-changing because life is always changing.

I leave tomorrow, but a different "I" than the one that came. But I leave tomorrow as one who embraces life more that I ever have before. I hope to keep this feeling towards life for as long as i live. This means that I will no doubt travel again and often. There are so many things I need to see. So many things I need to discuss. Thank goodness that I have many more tomorrows in my life yet.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this experience what it was, especially my parents. I love you both so much and am very proud to be your son. Also a thank you to my flatmates who have given me a great home to come and go from.

And thanks for reading. I may post once more...may not.


Life IS good.