A New Chapter

As this is my last day of work, and as I’m gearing up for my trip abroad, I have been going through a million different emotions and sorting out different thoughts. A friend of mine once wrote about the cities he lived in as though they were characters in his life. At first I didn’t understand, but as I’m getting ready for the big move, I have come to understand completely what he meant. The past 8 months in York have been pretty difficult, yet there is so much I will miss. Not so much about the city, but the people that connect me to this city. As much as serving has been a pain in the butt, I will miss going to the restaurant and seeing the boys everyday and them always giving me a hard time. Having fun truly is about the company in which your with. I will miss going through this post-graduation transition with Stella. She has been my rock in so many ways and I don’t know if I could have survived moving back home without her (or survived last semester without her, but that’s another story). I think my time in York is up, I’ve done what I needed to do, and if I ever end up here again, it’s only because the Czech Republic took all my money. My greatest tie to this city is the amazing friendships that have been created here, so if I end up with those amazing people at Cobblestone’s the night before Thanksgiving again when I’m 30, I won’t complain. :)

My other love is Philadelphia. When I returned from studying abroad in London, I hated Philadelphia. (Moving from Kensington, London to the Spanish Ghetto will do that to you.) I didn’t take advantage of the great things Philadelphia had to offer me until the last moment before I moved. I’m glad I made amends with the city. It opened my eyes and made me realize that not only Europe has amazing cities with amazing people. I need a break from Philly though. So much happened there- four years of college, best friends, betrayals, love, happiness, and pain. I need some time away from this city to get to know myself again. However, my rendezvous with Philadelphia is not over. I feel deep inside that I will be back.

I am so excited for what my adventure in Prague may teach me, and where it may lead me. When I was in London, I cannot describe the feeling I had for the first two months I was there. I feel as though I left a piece of myself in London, and I’m not sure where it went. It has taken me a long time to get over the pain of junior year, and sometimes I’m not so sure if I’m completely healed. I’m not saying that getting up and moving to another country is the answer, but being in Europe does something to me. It inspires me, empowers me. It makes me happy. I want that part of me back and would like to introduce her to me that has grown so much in the past two years.

So Goodbye York, Goodbye the city of Brotherly Love…I’ve done a lot of growing up with you, but now I’m ready for the next chapter in my life.