Tag Archives: Friends

Family Dinner

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When you live in a 1 bedroom apartment, the table is usually set for one. For me, cooking dinner consists of anything I can make small amounts of or grab from the fridge without any effort. Occasionally I’ll make a dish that I save in Tupperware containers for future meals, but this is very rare. Living like this makes me miss being home.

Last night we tried something new! About 8 friends all gathered into one apartment to cook a big pasta dinner. Dan hosted and George was the mastermind behind the recipe. His sauce was to die for and left everyone with a very happy stomach.

While everyone was cooking in the kitchen, I got that cheesy “warm and fuzzy” feeling that people in cliché drama movies talk about. I felt like I was home. After this night, I realized how much I truly value having great friends and family to spend my time with.

Some people don’t get along so well with their families, and I really feel sorry for them. Many people here are staying through New Years, until their rental contract is up on January 9th. I made sure I got a flight home earlier so I could be home for Christmas dinner. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Making Friends

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Some great people who live in my building with our "goofy faces"

I made a sandwich and had no plans other than to walk around and see what I could find. As I walked out my door, eating my sandwich, I see that my neighbors (about 10 people) all had sandwiches too. I held my sandwich up to the window and gave a thumbs up as I walked by, and all 10 of my neighbors gave the thumbs up right back. The door was open, so I walked in and introduced myself. Many of them were from Spain. A few from the U.S., a few from France, one from Finland, a couple from Canada, and I’m sure there were many more. All of these people were just wonderful; each of them trying to communicate in any way possible. I can’t even tell you how many different languages I heard being spoken last night. Everyone was giving their best efforts. It ends up that I relate more to Canadians than I do with Americans. The Spanish and French individuals I met were just the nicest, most wonderful people. I am so happy I made a sandwich last night instead of a bowl of cereal…

Last Night in Western Mass

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So I’m leaving TOMORROW. I depart out of Boston and I won’t arrive until Thursday. I still feel like I have so much I need to figure out and finish up before I go. Figuring out finances has been the most difficult, stressful part of this whole process and now that I’ve got that done with (more or less), I feel quite liberated.

I won’t be seeing my family or friends until Christmas now. Four months away from those I grew quite accustomed to having around. The best part of this whole excursion, however, is that I will make NEW friends and I have the chance to meet some NEW family, of which I had never met.

Pre-departure Homesickness

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This weekend I drove up to Vermont to see my Champlain friends for one last time before I depart. Once I hit Interstate 89, I was awestruck by the breathtaking Vermont mountains I once knew and loved. It had been far too long since I had last seen them. The smile on my face grew larger and larger as I got nearer and nearer to the little city that will always have a piece of my heart.

Walking through campus, I realized I would miss the buildings where my classes should be held. I would miss the library where I used to work. I would even miss the dining hall where each of my meals were monotonously consumed.

Hearing my roommates talk about the upcoming semester made me feel a little melancholy. They will be living with someone else, planning exciting adventures with them and not me. I started to feel like I might be missing out on life in Burlington in the fall, but then I remembered where I am going. This is just another chapter. I will make new friends and have new experiences that are even better than any routine I might have had before. Breaking routine has never bothered me; it’s tradition that I will miss.

I’ll miss apple picking and Vermont foliage. I’ll miss jumping in Lake Champlain, Halloween weekend, and birthday celebrations. Some will be missed physically, while others are missed emotionally.

The Champlain Ski and Ride club will go on without me. Watching snowboard videos with the past President of the Club this weekend made me realize I will miss that too.

The fact of the matter is, I have not graduated. I have not transferred. I have not dropped out. I WILL be back. Yes, life in Vermont will go on without me, but life in Amsterdam is just waiting for me to arrive!