All Good Things Come To An End (Soon)

I'm not sure whether this end-of-term limbo is more like the sadness at the end of summer camp, or more like the tingling of fear at graduation. I've never been to summer camp (just ask Mom) but of course I know the process: you're homesick, then you adjust, and then you're attached. It makes it hard to go home.


(Tasha and I at the Clapham House formal dinner)

But I guess after nine months of going to another school, getting on the flight home is going to feel like graduating from a one-year master class in New Experiences. The anxiety of exams is the same, and the tinge of sadness at people leaving one by one is just like at home, but there's a layer of permanence to these goodbyes that I don't want to even think about. The re-adjustment of coming back home is nearly the same as when I came over: a week of gladness, followed by a few months of aching to be back in a place I really do love. And then back to the comfort of being home with my family and friends.

I'm maybe putting the cart before the horse here, because I have three weeks to go before coming home. But my mind's started to wander to questions of how to bring nine months of stuff back home and when I begin my summer job, rather than plans for a trip to some far-flung European capital. So I guess it's time to start that oh-so-bittersweet process of looking back over the past year, a few weeks early.

We finally heard from Bryan and Lisa, who were in Italy for a week and are now heading to Switzerland... they sound like they're having a blast taste-testing gelato everywhere and roaming ancient ruins. Here's to a fantastic time in them German-speaking countries, and I REALLY hope Bryan (and Lisa, too!) go bungee-jumping in Interlaken! How amazing would that be? Take many, many pictures!


(above: Pete and Lisa on a balcony at Chenonceau; below: mmm gelato!)

I'm off to postpone revising for my exam in order to go for a walk and/or plan a day trip with Tasha tomorrow to Haworth, where the Bronte sisters grew up. There are still treasures in Yorkshire that I don't want to miss!

This past week I didn't do much else except study for my Romantic Lit exam (it went well) and go out to celebrate that and the gorgeous weather with Christian and our new friend Ollie, who was in one of my seminars and is coincidentally going to Western next year on exchange. The passing of the torch begins!

xx