Honestly

“You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life.” – Pinterest

Vancouver Pride at the Whitecaps Soccer (football) match! Not the best game, but we had a great time.

Vancouver Pride at the Whitecaps Soccer (football) match! Not the best game, but we had a great time.

I knew that it would be hard coming home after 7 months away. I always knew. But I wasn’t sure how it would be exactly, just as I hadn’t been sure what it would be like to go abroad.

After being a little too stressed through the first few weeks of school, I made a big decision. Instead of stressing myself out this semester by taking a full course load, I chose, instead, to drop a class. What does this mean? Well, I will now have to take one more semester… I won’t be graduating in December, but in June instead.

And this is okay.

For my own sanity, this was a good move. With my two jobs and the courses I’m already taking, I have been quite busy. But I love my classes and jobs. Coaching again is the best – my athletes are so motivated and I am incredibly excited for this upcoming season! The climbing gym is doing well, with exciting things coming up. And I just published my first official post as editor of the UFV Study Abroad Blog, a post about my adventure. (EDIT: Sadly in 2022 that page was removed!) I will also be writing stories for other students as well. Check my Facebook or Twitter or something for updates!)

With an extra semester, I will be able to take some more interesting classes hopefully, and sort out exactly what I would like to do after I graduate.

Fun days with friends are the best! Had a blast going through Europe pics with this chica!

Fun days with friends are the best! Had a blast going through Europe pics with this chica!

The other day, I was watching an episode of Gilmore Girls, in which Rory expertly described what it is like for a student graduating from university: ‘it’s like standing on a cliff, looking into an abyss of fog. You can’t see anything ahead of you and you have no idea where to go. This is the first time in your life that nothing is planned for you and you don’t know what is coming next.’

I know that I am not the only person that feels this way, which makes me feel a thousand times better. Not knowing is terrifying yet exhilarating. You just have to hope that something will come for you, that is just what you’ve been looking for.

Right now I have few goals: to graduate, to find a job that I don’t hate, and to go back to Europe in two years. Keep it simple.

As for all of this political debate happening and the refugee crisis, I am not going to voice my opinion.

Finally, for those of you who know me well, I’ve lost a few people now who were important to me. Four years ago, at the end of September, I lost my cousin. It was incredibly unexpected and she was too young. It was hard on all of our family, but especially my aunt. It still hurts, but we know that she is watching over us, and I know that she was with me on all my adventures in Europe, taking it all in with me. Losing her was really difficult, and I didn’t like to talk about it much. This year, both my Gramma and her sister, my great aunt, passed away. I was close with both of them and it was really hard again. Being home without my Gramma has been really hard – she would have wanted to see everything I brought home, heard all my stories. I am glad that I got to skype with her before she passed, while I was away.

But now I have three people watching over me, with my Papa who was already gone. And I know that they are all proud of me.

And now this post got a lot more serious than I had planned. Hopefully, though, you know me a little better now. Whether that’s good or bad, I don’t know. But I’m moving forward.

Happy to be home with my pup! He's so big and hyper now, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy to be home with my pup! He’s so big and hyper now, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My amazing family, who I love. Most of the time. (jkjk ;) )

My amazing family, who I love. Most of the time. (jkjk 😉 )

“Time won’t make you forget, it’ll make you grow and understand things…” – Pinterest

May the road rise up to meet ya

Cheers

JH

Keeping Busy

What every writer dreads – writer’s block. It has finally hit. I am having a hard time sitting down to write for this blog now that I am home. When you’re not travelling every day, you are sometimes hard pressed to find inspiration.

So you make your own.

The past few weeks have been endless attempts to find adventure in my own backyard – hanging out with friends and exploring my home.

I’ve done more hikes, some outdoor climbing, built forts, played with my dog, and begun to get my life in order. School is just around the corner. Literally. I start on Wednesday. I’m excited but terrified to start my final semester. It’s going to be an interesting semester. I’m taking 2 history classes – one is on theory and perspective of the past, while the other focuses entirely on the Holocaust. Both are going to be super interesting, especially after my Epic Euro Trip adventures. I’m also taking an anthropology class on religions around the world, and a media and communications class about Canada.

With all these classes and working, I’m going to be quite busy.

Which brings me to some other news: I got a new job! I’m very excited to say that I will be working as a blog editor for the Study Abroad office at my university. It is the best of both worlds – writing and editing a blog about something that is very special to me. I’m looking forward to being in touch with other students who have studied abroad or are right now, and to encounter other institutions that my university is partnered with. Once it’s up and running, I will definitely tweet a link or something.

Over the next little while, I’m not entirely sure what will happen with this blog. I really want to continue it, but with no travelling or adventuring during school, posts may be further and farther in between. I imagine that I will probably be posting about once a month if I am able to.

For now, I’m going to focus on school and my two jobs, trying to keep busy. Hopefully, I will be able to save up enough money for a trip after graduation or another Euro Trip soon. Once the travel bug bites, it tends to stick pretty close.

Some pictures of my recent adventures!

My goddaughter and her brother. It was great to be a kid with them for a day, jumping on a trampoline & building blanket forts.

My goddaughter and her brother. It was great to be a kid with them for a day, jumping on a trampoline & building blanket forts.

Setting new climbs at the gym. Lift selfies!

Setting new climbs at the gym. Lift selfies!

One of our many outdoor days, Christy & I found ourselves in Squamish many times. This time, we were with the Teams at Chek!

One of our many outdoor days, Christy & I found ourselves in Squamish many times. This time, we were with the Teams at Chek!

Just some kids chillin at Gold Creek. Awesome day with some crazy cold water...!

Just some kids chillin at Gold Creek. Awesome day with some crazy cold water…!

Relaxing at the top of the Chief. Awesome weekend with K & Trev at Gold Creek and then hiking!

Relaxing at the top of the Chief. Awesome weekend with K & Trev at Gold Creek and then hiking!

Chillin at the top of the Chief after a hike. This was our adventure weekend.

Chillin at the top of the Chief after a hike. This was our adventure weekend.

Hanging off a cliff and taking selfies at the Bluffs - cause why not?

Hanging off a cliff and taking selfies at the Bluffs – cause why not?

Coming home, I spent a lot of time in Squamish. Ain't it pretty!?

Coming home, I spent a lot of time in Squamish. Ain’t it pretty!?

"Falling" off a cliff in the Bluffs - close to Pixie's Corner. Such an awesome day!

“Falling” off a cliff in the Bluffs – close to Pixie’s Corner. Such an awesome day!

“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”Nora Roberts.

From

JH

Home and Hikes

Reunited and it feels so good

Reunited and it feels so good <3

It’s funny. When you’re young, you don’t realize how quickly things in your life can change. Opinions, situations, events, even people are all subject to the ultimatum of change.

Coming home, I had thought I knew what to expect. After all my time away, I was definitely excited to be stationary again, see all of my friends and family who I had missed for six and a half months. I was interested in sharing my adventures and stories, and many people wanted to hear them. And so, after all my time away, I am safely at home.

I am so lucky to have experienced and seen so many amazing things. I lived in another country, on another continent. I travelled through 12 countries, multiple cities, and have seen many famous sites. I am even more grateful that I met and experienced all of these things with such amazing people.

I already wrote about everyone that I met in Ireland. I am thankful to now have these amazing people in my life, and hopefully we will stay in touch (sorry, it’s a fear of mine). But I know that I will see them again. And then there was my trip with my brother and Kirstin. Of course we had our ups and downs, but we had such a great time. We have so many hilarious stories and memories from the great places we traveled to and the wonderful people we met!

But to be honest, being home is quite different from what I expected.

Everyone has been very kind, asking me questions about my trips and experiences. It has been fun telling my stories and adventures. I think people don’t realize sometimes though, that it is hard to explain exactly how study abroad can change your life when you haven’t experienced it. Sometimes, it feels like people expect me to be the same person, other times they tell me how much they see that I’ve changed. It’s interesting to see different reactions.

And again, being honest, it is hard to come home to the exact same situation you left when you are no longer the same. How could I be the same person after these amazing experiences?

Since being home, I have tried to stay busy. Staying home gives you far too much time to think.

 

Limo selfie before the wedding!

Limo selfie before the wedding!

The happy couple in the limo, going to reception. Congratulations guys!

The happy couple in the limo, going to reception. Congratulations guys!

Selfie hiking in Cypress with this girl!

Selfie hiking in Cypress with this girl!

Yup, this is the view we got at St. Mark's Summit. So great, right!? Can you see the water?

Yup, this is the view we got at St. Mark’s Summit. So great, right!? Can you see the water?

Upon arriving home, my cousin was going to be married – and I was a bridesmaid in the wedding! It was a very nice wedding, and I had a lot of fun. Riding in a limo with my cousins and their friends, taking a million pictures in the ridiculous heat, dancing to great and terrible songs with friends and family, and just having a pretty fun night! It was nice to see two people I have known for so long, completely happy and ready to spend the rest of their lives together. Congrats Brent and Vee, I wish you tons of happiness in your new life and home!

Last week, I tried to spend some time in the beautiful outdoors of my home province! I met up with Brit for a day of hiking in Cypress Provincial Park. We had a great time hiking, catching up. Even though the view was completely covered by clouds and fog, it was a really fun hike! We got to catch a great view on the way down the mountain as well. We went into Vancouver to have dinner and walk along the inlet. It was such a great day!

 

It cleared a little on the way down and we got an amazing view of Howe Sound!

It cleared a little on the way down and we got an amazing view of Howe Sound!

We stopped for dinner and a 'pint' at the Craft Brew House in Vancity. So good!

We stopped for dinner and a ‘pint’ at the Craft Brew House in Vancity. So good!

The inlet of Vancity. So pretty at sunset!

The inlet of Vancity. So pretty at sunset!

With one day in between, I went hiking again! This time, I went hiking closer to my home, in Golden Ears Provincial Park. I went with my friend, Christy, who I have been friends with for basically my entire life. It was great to be able to spend so much time outdoors these past two weeks, as I had definitely missed my mountains in the time I was gone.

 

Hiking in Golden Ears. Beautiful sights.

Hiking in Golden Ears. Beautiful sights.

Selfie hiking in the pouring rain! Such a fun day with ma gurl!

Selfie hiking in the pouring rain! Such a fun day with ma gurl!

I believe this is Gold Creek, coming down from the mountains. Pretty views!

I believe this is Gold Creek, coming down from the mountains. Pretty views!

We had an amazing time catching up, and hiking through our beautiful rain forests and mountains. And the rain forest was in full swing that day, as it was absolutely pouring rain while we hiked. By the end of the day, we were completely soaked through! Of course, this meant a stop at probably one of our favourite food enterprises, the classic Canadian Tim Hortons! I was glad to go back to my Timmies hot chocolate – typically Canadian, right!?

Two other exciting things that have happened: I spent a day outdoor climbing with Christy in Squamish’s Smoke Bluffs, and I went to the Imagine Dragons concert. The climbing day was perfect, as my first outdoor day of the season. We got in some great climbs, new ones to both of us, and I scraped up my knuckles like a true climber. (The photos are Christy’s.) The concert was absolutely amazing! Definitely one of the top concerts that I have been to (which are few in numbers…). Christy, Zach and I had a great time, rocking out to the songs and yelling along at the top of our lungs. If you’re a fan of the band, definitely see them in concert!

 

Hiking to our climbing walls, we stopped for a photo with our fave - the Chief!

Hiking to our climbing walls, we stopped for a photo with our fave – the Chief!

Getting ready to rappell down a wall in Squamish's Smoke Bluffs.

Getting ready to rappell down a wall in Squamish’s Smoke Bluffs.

Rappelling in Squamish with the beautiful Chief in the background!

Rappelling in Squamish with the beautiful Chief in the background!

Last climb of the day on Easter Island! Loved this climb.

Last climb of the day on Easter Island! Loved this climb.

Work and plans have thankfully kept me busy, and the wonderful technology of today’s century has allowed me to keep in touch with my amazing friends who are now so far away. With one semester left to go in my degree, I know that I will stay quite busy for the upcoming months. After that, who knows! I am constantly asked what I plan to do with my degree and future, but I am still kind of unsure. I have a lot to think about and plan.

Over the next little while, I will stay put in my hometown, working and finishing my degree. Once I’m done, who knows where I’ll be! I definitely hope to have more amazing adventures and travels to be able to write about, hopefully sooner than later. For now, there’s no place like home!

 

Imagine Dragons in concert are absolutely amazing!

Imagine Dragons in concert are absolutely amazing!

The encore of the show, complete with confetti raining down. Amazing show!

The encore of the show, complete with confetti raining down. Amazing show!

“Actually, the best thing you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures…” – Alice in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll

From

JH

EuroTrip: The Final Stretch Home

This was before our train ride from Berlin to Amsterdam went downhill... don't we look happy!?

This was before our train ride from Berlin to Amsterdam went downhill… don’t we look happy!?

Here it is. My final post from my trip, exploring my last adventures in Europe. The story I shall begin with is called “Helltrain,” as named by a few of us who were trapped on this train for many hours.

We boarded a train from Berlin to Amsterdam, excited for the next adventure. We were expecting a six and a half hour journey, our longest train ride yet. We were actually excited, settling in for the long journey. After a couple hours of relaxing, the journey quickly went downhill.

The air conditioning broke in our train car, causing a significant climate change within the very full car. After passing out some free water, we were notified that we should move to another part of the train. So, we crammed into another train car with multiple people – only for that air conditioning to break as well and we were forced to move yet again.

Sitting in a car completely packed with people, we began chatting with some guys sitting and standing near us. Brandon and Levi, who were from Texas. Brandon spoke German and began to translate for us. It was extremely helpful, seen as the people decided that the tourists might not need to understand anything they were saying over the speakers. In short, they told everyone to get off the train. While we were not near our stop. In some random area.

After finding out that we were actually in Rheine, we ventured to find someone who could help us figure out how to get to our final destination of Amsterdam. We hung out with Brandon and Levi, and got new information for which train to get on. We would have to take a train back in the direction we came from in order to catch another train to Amsterdam.

So, taking two more trains with free water, heat, and good conversation, we finally arrived in Amsterdam. What should have taken six and a half hours, turned into a more than ten hour day with a great story. You know, after we survived it and began to create great jokes about it. We left the guys at the station for all of us to find our accommodations.

Our apartment was only a few minutes’ walk from the station, and was also quite close to Dam Square and multiple other places. With a very steep staircase, we got to our room. It was quite nice and comfortable! We loved our location. But to be honest, we were so exhausted that we all had showers and fell asleep early.

The next morning was our first full day in Amsterdam. We got up, had a quick bite to eat, and headed to our first destination: renting bikes! We rented bikes and headed out on our adventure. I was very excited to be doing something so stereotypical and touristy.

 

Our awesome bike ride!

Our awesome bike ride!

The iconic sign in Amsterdam. It was great to see it again.

The iconic sign in Amsterdam. It was great to see it again.

Chilling on the 'm' of Amsterdam, one of our last stops. Love that we got a pic of all of us!

Chilling on the ‘m’ of Amsterdam, one of our last stops. Love that we got a pic of all of us!

I led Zach and Kirstin to Vondelpark, and we rode our bikes around the beautiful park. It took so much less time riding our bikes than when I walked it last time! I was so excited to be in Amsterdam again, as I had loved the city the first time, too.

We continued down to Museumplein, stopping at the iconic ‘iamsterdam’ sign, and looking at the amazing buildings for the museums. We then stopped to wander around the Flower Market before deciding that we were all quite tired from the previous day. So, we went back to the apartment and had a siesta for a bit.

Upon waking up refreshed, we contacted our new friends and decided to meet for dinner. We also invited another new friend, Josue. We had met him in Prague, and had ended up in the same cities since. He brought his brother, Juan, and another friend along. With a big group, we had a great dinner at a kitschy little restaurant and drank some beers. It was fun!

 

The bikes everywhere in Amsterdam really make the atmosphere.

The bikes everywhere in Amsterdam really make the atmosphere.

It was awesome to introduce these two to frikandel, a food that Bert had gotten us to try before. Of course we all loved it.

It was awesome to introduce these two to frikandel, a food that Bert had gotten us to try before. Of course we all loved it.

I love the beautiful canals of Amsterdam.

I love the beautiful canals of Amsterdam.

Kirstin and some others wanted to see the Red Light District, so we walked to the other side of the city to see it at night. It is exactly what you would expect – super crowded with drunken people everywhere, red lights and girls, and lots of coffee shops. After wandering through the insane crowds and having a lot of laughs at the ridiculous stag parties, we headed to another area to hang out at a bar. We had some drinks, some laughs, and then laughed even harder when we realized we had forgotten that it was Canada Day. Suffice to say, we did not really celebrate, but it was great fun.

The next day, I got up early and headed to the train station to meet my friend Bert. We hadn’t seen each other in over a month and I was excited! It was crazy to hang out in Amsterdam without our other travel buddies though. 😉

After getting Zach and Kirstin, we went out for brunch to try pannekoeken, Dutch pancakes. I ate one with apples and syrup, and it was delicious! It was a great start to our day. We wandered around Dam Square and saw the Red Light District in the day time. It was kinda gross, just in the way that there was garbage everywhere. We went back to the Flower Market, wandering through and buying souvenirs.

We walked to the other side of the city again – this seems like a common act in Amsterdam – and found a short line for the Anne Frank House. I was ecstatic and made everyone wait in line right away. Usually, the line is longer than 2 hours, but we only had to wait for 45 minutes.

 

My amazing friends and brother with the beautiful Amsterdam canals.

My amazing friends and brother with the beautiful Amsterdam canals.

The Anne Frank House. It was an incredible and moving experience.

The Anne Frank House. It was an incredible and moving experience.

The canal in front of the Anne Frank House. There were so many boats!

The canal in front of the Anne Frank House. There were so many boats!

The experience was extremely interesting and moving. I had always wanted to be able to walk through the Anne Frank House. It was amazing. We walked through the various rooms that they hid in, saw multiple artifacts. I was able to see the pictures that Ms. Frank herself had posted on the wall of her shared room, and the numerous versions of her diary in original handwriting. It was amazing to see that these had survived through so many terrible things. It was an incredible experience.

After the Anne Frank House, we grabbed something to eat before beginning some more wandering. Our last adventure of the day was to go on a canal cruise, similar to the one I had taken the previous time in Amsterdam. It was a lot of fun, to see it when the sun was setting. We also learned a lot about Amsterdam and the canals, and I listened to part of it this time – mostly because it was coming from a speaker instead of an older gentleman with a raspy voice. We grabbed a drink and then decided to turn in for the night, as we were all quite tired.

 

A view from the canal cruise. It was quite pretty!

A view from the canal cruise. It was quite pretty!

So glad Bert could join us for the day! Gonna miss our silly selfies.

So glad Bert could join us for the day! Gonna miss our silly selfies.

The next morning, we all headed to the train station. We said goodbye to Bert and boarded our train. It was hard to yet again say goodbye to another one of my great friends from Ireland. It was even harder when it became a repeat of saying goodbye to Carlos, and Bert boarded the train on the track beside us. Thanks, Bert, for making the trek to hang out with us for a day. It was a lot of fun!

We got to Sloterdijk station where we would catch our bus. And another snag in our travels occurred. I began to stress out a bit as I couldn’t access our bus tickets electronically on my phone. The bus had not arrived yet (it ended up being quite late), so I could not speak to the bus driver about it either. A kind older gentleman who was working at the station saw that I was stressed. He offered to let me print the tickets from their computer. Fearing for myself a little, I followed him through a few key-activated doors and down a hallway where he set me up at a computer in their break room. I was incredibly thankful for the kindness of allowing me to print the tickets that I had messed up on.

 

Here is another picture of the peeing child statue for you.

Here is another picture of the peeing child statue for you.

Silly selfie with Mannekin Pis. Love it!

Silly selfie with Mannekin Pis. Love it!

The beautiful fountain in Brussels Park.

The beautiful fountain in Brussels Park.

Stopped for a rest and took some silly pictures.

Stopped for a rest and took some silly pictures.

Our bus ride wasn’t too bad, and we arrived in Brussels. Again on familiar turf, I led Zach and Kirstin to the hostel we would be staying in. Which, funnily enough, turned out to be under construction. I guess that was a great culmination of our entire trip. Many sites had been under construction, so it was a little funny when our final hostel was the construction site. Something, probably a roof shingle, even fell from above. It was some great irony for one of the last cities of our trip.

We checked into our hostel, and set out to explore Brussels for our only partial day in the city. I led them to Grand Place, the main square. It was just as pretty as I remembered. Except it was louder this time, with a handball game occurring in the middle of the square. It was entertaining! It was also fun to see if they could pick out the building that is unsymmetrical. We found Mannekin Pis in the rain, ate frites and waffles, bought chocolates, and wandered the great city to see the cathedral and pretty views. It was a lot of fun to hang out in our last city of our travels.

 

The cathedral in Brussels. We actually went in it this time!

The cathedral in Brussels. We actually went in it this time!

The inside of the large cathedral of Brussels. It was quite beautiful.

The inside of the large cathedral of Brussels. It was quite beautiful.

Beautiful views in Brussels. (I don't remember what this area was called...)

Beautiful views in Brussels. (I don’t remember what this area was called…)

The next day, we caught a train to the airport and got checked in for our flight. Not very long, a little bumpy on landing, and an hour time change later, we were landed back safely in my beautiful Ireland. Kirstin and I walked to pick up my giant suitcase that had been stored at a hotel in Dublin. The man scared me when he began to use his Irish sarcasm to joke that my suitcase was not there. After collecting it and meeting back up with Zach, we caught a bus into Dublin. Kirstin’s dad had been generous enough to use some Honour points to give us a night at the Hilton for the last stay of our trip. It was incredibly nice and we were extremely thankful to be able to stay in a nice room, with comfortable beds, and somewhere that we could print off all the tickets for our flights (plus free hot cookies upon arrival – yum!).

From the hotel, we set out to spend our last night in the city. We walked to Temple Bar, where we picked up a few more souvenirs and ate some delicious burritos at Pablo Picante. We met up with my friend, Raul, to go to a few pubs to finish the trip right. Raul had been living in Dublin and led us easily through the streets and across the Liffey to a really cool pub – The Church. Yes, you read that right. It is a church that was converted into a pub. There is a bar in the middle, and a pipe organ at the back. It was such a cool place to be!

Our next stop was The Porterhouse. Probably one of my favourite pubs that I have ever been to. There was an awesome live band, yet again, and we got to have one last, Irish craft brew on tap. We had a lot of fun before moving on to our last destination, THE Temple Bar.

Somehow, I had not been to The Temple Bar itself, only in the area multiple times. So, for my final Guinness, on tap in Ireland, I went to the most famous pub in Dublin. I was not disappointed, as I found music, a fun atmosphere, and great company to hang out with. My only dislike of the bar: it was all tourists. I think the only Irish person was the guy working the bar that I ordered my pint from.

 

It was so awesome to meet up with Raul for our last night in Dublin! Thanks for a great time!!!

It was so awesome to meet up with Raul for our last night in Dublin! Thanks for a great time!!!

The awesome Church Pub in Dublin. The pipe organ in the back was a nice touch.

The awesome Church Pub in Dublin. The pipe organ in the back was a nice touch.

Love this girl. Had such a great trip. This is from our last night in Dublin, at the Porterhouse.

Love this girl. Had such a great trip. This is from our last night in Dublin, at the Porterhouse.

I said goodbye to Raul and thanked him for spending the last night of our trip with us. It was great to see him before going home! I wish him luck as he stays in Ireland, working and travelling Europe, and safe travels home! We walked back to the hotel and crashed into our amazingly comfortable beds.

The next morning, we caught a bus to the airport. We had to split up, as we were all taking different flights to get to Heathrow to fly home. So, while Zach and Kirstin got dropped off at one terminal, I went to another. We all made it through security and waited for our flights. Zach was first to leave, followed by me, and Kirstin last. My flight was wonderfully comfortable. However, I do have to admit that as I looked out the window and saw the coast of England, I teared up a little, knowing that my trip and time in Ireland were both over.

After a little trouble, Zach and I made it through security in London and set out to find Kirstin. Panicking, as our flight got closer to departure, we headed to the gate to see if she was there. The panic grew as boarding was starting and we couldn’t find her anywhere. Because her phone had broken, we had no way of getting a hold on her. Luckily, the universe was on our side, and she showed up just in time. We boarded the plane and began our journey home… after an hour delay on the runway.

The flight was 9 hours long. Thankfully, there were movies and shows to keep us occupied as we were sitting in different parts of the plane – Zach just behind me, and Kirstin on the opposite side of the plane. The two people I was between were friendly, and we talked for a while, passing the time. I also watched Into the Woods, and tried to watch the final Hobbit movie, but fell asleep merely ten minutes in. In my defense, I was very tired. And oddly enough, the food was pretty good!

 

Flying out of the Dublin airport, the sky looked a little sketchy. But I survived!

Flying out of the Dublin airport, the sky looked a little sketchy. But I survived!

Of course I got a Timmie's as soon as I got off the airplane in Vancouver. Yummm!

Of course I got a Timmie’s as soon as I got off the airplane in Vancouver. Yummm!

We had a great landing, despite the recent forest fires in the area. Thankfully, the airport is close to the coast and the smoke is mostly cleared away there. After quickly finding our bags, it was time to be reunited with our families. There were lots of hugs and hellos, quick anecdotes about the crazy travel day, and I had to get my Tim Hortons Iced Cappuccino before we piled into the car. Despite it technically being far too early in the morning for us in European time, we had to stay awake to adjust our clocks. At home, I unpacked some things and talked to my parents for a bit, before crashing and sleeping for twelve amazing hours.

I have now been home for over a week, and it is definitely weird. I had expected to have culture shock, but perhaps the truth is I am experiencing reverse culture shock. Soon, I will write a post about it.

And there you have it. My entire trip has been put into words for you, in an attempt to document for myself and anyone who might read this. It has definitely been a moving and interesting journey, from living in Ireland to backpacking Europe for the first time. I am incredibly grateful for these amazing experiences and know that they have helped shape who I am now. And I apologize for the multiple references to pubs and alcohols. It’s a different culture towards alcohol in Europe from here.

As for this blog, I plan to continue it in any way that I can. Although my adventures at home may never be as grand as those abroad, I am not going to let that stop me from finding new adventures here. I don’t know what the future holds for me, but I’m excited.

“In the world through which I travel, I am endlessly creating myself.” [Pinterest]

From

JH