Last Blog

Before you begin reading my final blog entry, I think it is important that you get online and listen to the song "One Day You Will" by Lady Antebellum. Or just look up the lyrics on www.letssingit.com. In case some of my readers do not have time to download the song, look up the lyrics, or you simply don't want to do anything extra other than read this blog, I will provide you with the words to the chorus:
"But down the road the sun is shining
In every cloud there's a silver lining
Just keep holding on
And every heartache makes you stronger
But it won't be much longer
You'll find love, you'll find peace
And the you you're meant to be
I know right now that's not the way you feel
But one day you will."

Before I embarked on this adventure, I was at a very strange point in my life. Having graduated from college and found no job, it was difficult for me to be on the island doing the same old stuff I did every summer. Don't get me wrong - I had a ball this summer! Partying on the beach with Heidi and Valerie was a highlight! However, something was missing and I constantly felt claustrophobic in my hometown, a place that I LOVE, and I struggled to relax. Leaving the island to travel is the best decision I have ever made. As I look back on this trip, I see how my attitude towards life has changed for the better and I am SO thankful that I had this opportunity.

Now I realize that life truly is full of ENDLESS possibilities that stretch out in front of me infinitely. For the first time, I honestly believe that I can do anything, see everything, and be anyone I want to be. Just as Lady Antebellum sings in their song, I feel as though I have finally found the "me I'm meant to be" - or at least I am on the right path! I have reached the "someday" that they are singing about. I am more excited, enthusiastic, confident, curious, stable, spontaneous, and free. I can't wait to see what life has in store for me.

When I say I am excited, I want you all to understand that I am literally excited for every aspect of life that might come my way. The unknown is no longer scary. I can't wait to meet new people and I'm also looking forward to spending more time with friends and family I already know and love. I want to continue to travel; at the same time, I am also anticipating settling down, getting a job and having some structure. I have a tentative job prospect in the next few months but if that doesn't work out, I will be okay. Maybe I am meant to do something else.
Before Europe, I was so set in planning everything. I'm not going to lie; I still like to plan :) However, it doesn't bother me as much if the plan doesn't work out. If my "life plan" doesn't work out the way I have imagined it, IT DOESN'T MATTER. I am only excited and curious to see what does happen - it might be better than what I originally wanted! The only thing that truly matters is that I surround myself with people that I LOVE and care about and who also feel the same way about me. I no longer want to waste my time with petty arguments or being stubborn just to make a point. I am more honest and straight-forward; games are time-consuming and wasteful.

Throughout this trip, my travels have been labeled as an "adventure." I feel as though that is incorrect. LIVING is an excursion in itself and backpacking Europe is only a small portion of the bigger picture. The only sure thing in this world is that the future will continue to be a mystery; life will always be an adventure filled with SERENDIPITY.

I am flying home today and I absolutely can't wait to see each and every one of you!
All my love,
Meg
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I CARRIED ALL OF THIS

I will be sure to count everything when I get home, but please take note of 3 purses, 3 pairs of shoes, A PAINTING, 3 dresses, and all the food I have accumulated throughout this trip. And yes, I carried it all, on my back, for almost 3 MONTHS.

Please be impressed :)
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What I will miss about Europe and Highlights

WHAT I WILL MISS:
All the new friends I've made and all the old friends I've reconnected with

PASTRIES

The cheap food in Portugal

My Gold Coast family in Lagos

Danish hotdogs

Quiet time on the trains

Pizza and pasta in Italy

Eating ice cream every day

Street markets!

The shopping and fashions

H&M on every corner

Discussing politics with the Kastrup family

Ruth's cooking

Writing all of Kirst's funny quotes (check out my quote book when I get back!)

Taking pictures of Kirsten taking pictures of animals

Trying to pronounce "beer" in Danish

HIGHLIGHTS:
People: I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to meet up with Christoph Heers and Astrid Kruse. I still remember the last time Christoph left my home and I bawled because I thought I would never see him again! Clearly, the world isn't as "inaccessible" as I once thought it was; I met up with Christoph twice since I have been in Europe. Reconnecting with Astrid was one of the happiest moments for me on this trip. Seven and a half years is a lot to catch up on! It is also strange to think that the last time I saw her I was only 14; now I am 22. She is still the same fun, amazing, beautiful person she was in high school - I am so blessed to know her!
I am also thankful to have the opportunity to meet SO MANY new people and make new friends around every corner. The Kastrup family, Cordy and Rich, my Lagos family, the Heers family, and the countless number of friends I made on trains and in hostels have made this trip into the adventure it was meant to be. Discussing politics, killing HUGE spiders, learning about ecological Germans, pronouncing new words, and giving and receiving hugs will always be my favorite memories from Europe. I believe that there are kind people in every corner of the world and friendship can be found in every country; this trip has confirmed that.

Culture: I LOVED learning about new cultures and ways of living! I must say that Spain was one of my favorite because I took a siesta every day and ate tapas all the time. Learning about new cultures not only teaches me that people can live in ways other than my own - it also helps me to appreciate the endless amount of opportunities I have in the United States. (I also look forward to coming home and not be cat-called constantly the way I was in the southern countries.) I understand that other countries have different government systems, taxes, healthcare plans, pollution control, etc. that works for them. That doesn't mean it will work for us. I am more willing to stand up for the USA and what we believe in; I see that other systems work for others but I also recognize that there is more than one way to solve a problem. Different cultures are awesome; I still love mine :)

Food: Each country we've been to has had a food "specialty" - in our opinions.
Denmark: Pastries
Germany: Americaner cookies
Netherlands: Stroopwaffels
France: Tarts
Portugal: English breakfasts at Odeon Cafe!
Spain: Tapas
Italy: ALL FOOD aka: pasta, pizza, and gelato
Switzerland: Chocolate
Czech Republic: Svikova and some other pastry I can't remember the name of...

In case you are wondering, I have not gained any weight :) Unfortunately, though, I have lost all my leg muscles from running constantly and have replaced the lost muscle with FAT. SICK. Again, Valerie, please please please let's do the next 10k. My running shoes have missed me.

3 DAYS!
Love,
Meg

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

YUM!

What the Danish typically eat for Christmas dinner.
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What I am excited for upon my return home:

MY FAMILY!
-Mom: I can't wait to go shopping at Loft with you
-Dad: I am looking forward to our "girl-talks"
-Heidi: I am sticking my tongue out at you right now, ha ha! I wish we didn't have to wait until Thanksgiving to see each other
-And of course, spending more time with extended family; I love and miss every one of you!

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years

Moving into my own house!

Wearing my new European clothes

Seeing all my sisters in Idaho on the 28th for the wedding of the year!

Telling all my CRAZY stories and explaining my pictures

Catching up on everybody else's lives

Wolf t-shirts, Balderdash, and keebler elves

Driving my car

Not living out of a backpack

Not carrying a backpack

Not going to a museum or gothic cathedral for a VERY, VERY long time

Sweatpants

RUNNING - Valerie, we are signing up for a 10k asap

Live music at The DeCOY

Setting up my classroom and finally working

An actual wardrobe other than what I have been wearing for the past 3 months

When I go shopping, the price tags will be in US dollars!

No more sleeping with earplugs!

My pets: Cole and Sophie-Wophie

Text messaging!!!

Continuing to live life as an ADVENTURE - the way it was meant to be lived :)


4 DAYS!
Love,
Meg
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The cities I have toured

Just for fun:
Frankfurt
Odense
Copenhagen
Boosted/Neumunster/Hamburg
Berlin
Stuttgart
Amsterdam
Rotterdam
Tours
Bordeaux
Lagos
Sevilla
Barcelona
Nice
Florence
Rome
Venice
Lugano
Paris
Reims
Prague
Flensburg

And my favorite were (in no particular order):
Bordeaux
Florence
Barcelona
Prague
Amsterdam
Copenhagen

5 DAYS!
Love,
Meg
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

PICTURES!

I am adding more photos as you read this, as well as reorganizing my current photos. Be sure to click on the links on my blog (right-hand side of the page) to see all my pictures from trip!

xo

Prague...

Is gorgeous! The entire time we were sightseeing in this city, we were in awe of all the beautiful buildings; we were also FREEZING our butts off! Prague is definitely the coldest place we have been so far. There was no snow but it felt like there should have been.
Our first full day in Prague we decided to take a break from being tourists and just went shopping :) Since it was Halloween we also made the decision to get dressed up in nice dresses (our excuse to go shopping) and go to an opera. The tickets were only 5 US dollars and the opera hall itself made the purchase entirely worth it. We spent all day looking for the "right dress" and by the time we found them, it was too late to take the tram home and get changed in time for the show. SO, we ran to the nearest Starbucks and changed in their bathrooms. On the way to the opera, we grabbed hot dogs from a street vendor for dinner on the go. (Clearly, we are very health-conscious while we're here.) The opera hall was stunning! I took pictures for everyone and you can see from the photo below that the building is incredible.
The following day we transformed back into tourists and ventured out into the heart of Prague. We walked up to the castle first and went inside the cathedral (yes, another cathedral!) We ate an amazing - and cheap - lunch at some cute cafe inside the castle before going back into the cold weather. We walked across St. Charles Bridge where we look at jewelry (I bought my 8th pair of earrings. Seriously, I have a problem.) and found our way to the Astronomical Clock. On our way back home, we saw a whole bunch of Czecks standing in line at some bakery so we did too; we assumed it must be good! And it was! At this little shop they were rolling dough around a metal cylinder and roasting it over a fire. After it was browned PERFECTLY, they dipped it into a mixture of almonds, sugar, toffee, and vanilla. YUMMY!

Despite the cold weather, Prague is easily in our list of favorite cities. It was fun to visit a country that is a part of my heritage; if only I could speak Czech!

Right now we are in Flensburg, Germany visiting Christoph one last time. Tonight we are meeting up with Astrid Kruse (a friend from high school) in Copenhagen and tomorrow we are making our way to Jorgen and Ruth's house for a little more Denmark! It is a strange and sad feeling to know that in one week, I will be making my way back to Frankfurt to fly home. I have learned so much about myself on this trip - something that I am saving for my last blog, be excited!

I miss and love everyone; I can't wait to see you soon!
Love,
Meg

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