Back in Texas

I have been back on Texas soil for nearly a month and half now, but I am still reminded daily of my trip to Germany. Last Thursday College Station was blessed to have a mini 'snow storm'. CS never gets snow! But as my luck would have it, of course it would snow (and heavily) right after my winter trip to Germany. Everyone was elated about the weather except for me (and I'm sure everyone else that went on the trip). I can honestly say I have seen more than enough snow to last me a lifetime. I am ready for a good Ol' Texas summer, but I won't be having one for awhile!!! I am going on ANOTHER study abroad trip this summer called Semester At Sea! I will be sailing on a cruise ship throughout the Mediterranean. Pretty sweet huh? Now that I am an expert on European traveling it should be much easier to get around. Well, maybe not for me because Caitlyn did most of the navigating :). Big Red, aka my suite case, won't be joining me for the journey this time! And not just because she lost a wheel.

I recently wrote a paper over my trip to Germany. It was for my BIMS 481 class so it's directed towards students interested in the trip. I got an A on the paper, but I was a little concerned about the type of 'humor' I used because some might consider it vulgar (especially Barbara Gastel, my teacher). But I thought it was pretty good and apparently she did too. I generally detest writing, but this paper was fun for me! I had to reflect on all the experiences and remember all that we had done (which I might add was ALOT). My writing style is anti of long-winded and I usually have to be repetitive in order to reach the needed word count; however, this was not the case for this paper. She counted off for it being too long. I just couldn't stop writing though. There was so much to tell!!!

Now that I am back in Texas I am back in the same old routine. School, study, OAT, eat, work out, sorority, and if I'm lucky sleep. Those are basically the only things I do during the week and on most weekends. So as you can imagine I really miss the relaxed 'never study' atmosphere of the Germany trip. While we were constantly doing something, it was always something enjoyable. Well, except for the opera. Sorry Dr. Wasser but as hard as I tried to enjoy it I just didn't.

Janelle and I were driving back to CS from Dallas yesterday and the majority of our drive consisted of us talking about all of our memories from the trip. We decided we needed a page specifically for all of our tragedies. I made so many great memories! And some great friends as well! In fact, five of us do weekly dinners. Except we've been slacking for the past couple of weeks... hopefully we will fix that this week. Right guys?

I am taking a class called Gender and International Education (don't ask), and my teacher did her doctorate thesis over the impact of European traveling on American Women. We have some very interesting conversations to say the least. It is interesting to hear her take on how traveling can change a person. She told me a little bit about her thesis and how most women never travel to Europe just once, they always go for a second round! Which is true for me because I'm going back this summer! And after the 3 week taste of Europe I received I cannot wait to get back to the EU. She told me that after traveling most women have a 'hole' that they can't seem to fill and that it was made by their experiences in other cultures. I completely agree with her because right now I'm feeling a little lost. Before I left I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but after experiencing a world beyond America I am having second thoughts. It is so weird knowing that there is another world beyond my own and I want to be a part of it.

Now that I have spent a considerable amount of time reflecting on Germany it is time to hit those books again! Quizzes, tests, and homework is what I have to look forward to for the next 2 weeks!.... AND THEN I'm off to Hawaii for spring break! Can you tell I've been bit by the travel bug? :)

Joanna