Good news and could have been better news.

Good news: Parents come into today. With only 40 euros left on me its a good thing they come in this afternoon.

Earlier this year I applied for a Business Today conference. Its an conference that brings in international students to New York where we learn some stuff on business. There are many corporate CEOs and other powerful members of business. Last year Ralph Nader was one of the key note speakers who I think would have been pretty interesting to listen to. Anyways its a conference put on in November and is all expenced paid. Flight, hotel, food. Not a bad deal. Heres where it could have been better. I got wait listed. I don't think that has ever happened to me. I either make it or I don't. Anyways they only wait listed 70 and are confident 20 of those will be allowed to attend. It depends on there summer fundraising efforts. Lets hope big business puts out some money because I really want to go.

The Long Wait is Over

Last November I remember thinking what is going to be in store for me. How will Europe be? Am I going to like it? What kind of people will I meet? This and many questions ran through my head. I couldn't wait to get over here and see it for myself. No longer through photos and movies. To see it through my own eyes, using all my senses. By the time the month of May got here I couldn't wait to get back home. If I knew what I do now, would I go to school here in Maastricht? I'd have to say no. I would have chosen an A&M program or more likey would have saved my money to go traveling. Still I have no regrets. And as the famous saying goes, so another chapter ends and a new one begins.

What did I learn over? I learned how much I like Kabob sandwiches(thank God for the Turks), I learned just as you can't talk your way out of a speeding ticket in the US, you can't talk your way out of paying a fine in Budapest's subways. I learned that Eiffle tower is bigger than I thought it would be. I discovered that Rome is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I discovered I can be oceans apart from home and still find a way to meet up with friends. I learned(ok, Ive known this one) that I always doubt myself come exam time. However I must add for these finals for the last 10 days I studied at least 12 hours a day, so I was just really prepared.

More importantly I learned quite a bit about culture. As Dave Matthews says in a song "everyone is different, everyone is the same." Its true, interacting with others differences can be quite noticable, to the way we dress, to how we eat (I still can't get over how the Koreans were always eating with their mouth open). I learned no matter where you go you will meet some amazing people, and at the same time you there will be a few assholes along the way. We all have hopes, we all have desire, needs, wants, we all experience emotions and thats what makes us humans.

I learned how much I value my friends back home. It wasn't the fact that there wasn't ice in the drinks, or that I didn't hear English spoken around me, or that I didn't have a car. Ok, X that last one. I miss the driving thing, I hope Houstons freeways are ready for a lead foot. I realized what I miss most about home are the friendships I have and all of the memories that have come from those relationships. While one of the first things I plan on doing is eating some tex mex, drinking a margrita, I think I'll be on my phone calling friends before that. It will be different these last 6 months back home. Many friends have graduated, and many including myself will be searching for that perfect 9 to 5er.

My journey isn't quite over. I meet the parents tomorrow and then through the next 9 days or so go to Munich, Bratislava, Vienna, Salzburg and Interlaken. Then I get to experience one of my worst memories. I will get back to the dorm just to check out and grab all my luggage. I then get to lug this on and off trains and drop it off at the airport. I fly to London, where a bench at Gatwick airport will become my bed for a night. I then fly to Houston with a layover in Atlanta. Flying home on Friday the 13th...oooohhhh SCARY. Not so much. Then in Houston I get to sit back and relax......at Hobby airport for three hours before my parents are able to pick me up. They fly in later and to Intercontinental, shame on them.

I've been in Europe for over 4 months. Doesn't quite feel like it.