Happy Anniversary!

Yesterday was my one year anniversary of arriving in Europe. I remember stepping off the plane and realizing I definitely wasn't in America any more. I was hearing a strange language and crowded onto a bus with people that didn't look like me. When I arrived I had no idea where I would be staying, this had not been revealed to me. I was very blessed to stay with a couple who I had met once in the US because I was their daughter's RA in college. It was a good first apartment, then I moved...and moved again, and again, and again, and again, and again! 7 moves in one year. Even for me, that was alot!

This has been a surreal year and I have changed so much! When I left home, I had only visited one country outside of the US, and now I've been to 8! When I first arrived I was terrified to ride the bus by myself, and now I am confidently hopping on and off buses, trains, and plains alone and going downtown or to a different country. I have my own apartment, I'm learning to cook (for less than 200), I am teaching teenagers, I've taught ESL, worked with refugees, and generally grown up!

While it's hard living in a foreign country, the hardest thing about this past year was being away from my family. There have been changes there as well! My oldest brother graduated college and moved, the younger brother moved and has his first girlfriend, the youngest got a good job and is not the youngest anymore! Baby Philip came into our family, and changed everything. I have missed so much! I know I'm where I am supposed to be, but that doesn't make it any easier. I still miss holidays, major events, and birthdays. My birthday is in 2 weeks, and I know no one will remember it or make a big deal about it like my mom always does. I won't get my "special day" or eat lasagna and cookie cake and drink Dr. Pepper. *sigh*

Yes, it has been quite a year. Next year will hold just as many changes and I can't wait to see the adventures life has in store. So buckle in, here we go for year number 2!