Tuesday, June 8, 2010: Tilburg, Netherlands
Its been a long time since I have last blogged about my time here in
Tilburg (as I am still attempting to catch up on all my travel blogging!), but I thought I would share my remaining thoughts with you during my last stretch of time here. I promise to fnish blogging the rest of my experiences when I get back and things settle down.
The past few days have been great! I have gone with my best friends here to explore the last few places in the Netherlands we really wanted to go before heading home. Sunday we went to
Delft and the beach,
Scheveningan, and yesterday we rode bikes at
Kinderdijk and wandered around
Utrecht. Mateja and I have been bumming around
Verbs 90 and staying with our friends Bali (Singapore) and Arlette (Netherlands) for the remaining nights we have here. We have been having an absolute
BLAST! Everyone is done with exams, so we have been goofing off doing arts and crafts, shopping, henna and cooking for one another. Its hard to believe that I will not see these people that mean so much to me after tomorrow morning for quite some time...
All this to say, my time at Tilburg has been absolutely incredible. I always think alot before I do anything. I thought alot about study abroad and what it would hold. However, I could not nearly anticipate the amaing journey I have had here. The past five months are all now a blur of crazy, fun and unforgettable memories.
My time here has seeped through my hands like sand. While I wish I could flip the hourglass over and relive all the memories, I know I must move on to the next phase of my life. The next year has a lot in store for me: new jobs/internships, graduation, graduate school... I can't fully anticipate what may happen in the coming year, but I feel as though my time in Europe has helped prepare me for what is ahead. I have truly grown as a person here. I have more respect and understanding for international cultures and traditions. I have a new found curiosity for seeing and experiencing places and things. I am far more open-minded and willing to take more risks. I am more loving, caring, sharing and humble. My time here has taught me one very valuable lesson that sticks out above all- to learn from others as much as you can....there is so much to learn!
I have a few regrets from my time here, but mostly memories I never want to forget. I cannot capture fully in words my experiences here. Definitely life changing. I think I am coming out of this a more confident, well-rounded and knowledgeable person. I have learned to love each moment of life for what it is and soak in all the people and places around me. I have seen how fast time can go, and learned to treasure every moment.
The lessons I have learned here are indispensable, memories unforgettable, and friends forever. I thank my parents for supporting me on this journey, my friends back home for encouragement, friends here for all the good times, and God for safety and provisions.
There are definitely some things I will miss about the Netherlands (besides all the great people!). Here are just a few:
Stroopwafels
Euros
the Dutch Language
Albert Heijn
Traveling
Cycling
the LG
Public Transportation
Cappuccino pick-me ups
Coffee at 90
Late nites out
Talking with the girls
These are just a few of my treaured memories here. There are so many things I will miss about Tilburg. I have really enjoyed every aspect of my life here.
I can't wait to return to these places someday, when both they and I have changed. How fun it will be to come back to the Netherlands and visit Tilburg again. How great it will be to reunite with my friends from here one day in the future! These things I must keep in mind as I embrace my last few hours here and try and hold back the tears that I know will be flowing tomorrow morning.
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