Home isn't a place, it's a feeling

Eighteen hours of travel.  A bus ride to the airport. An hour flight from Newcastle to London. One missed flight to Newark by ten minutes.  Dozens of annoyed and sleep-deprived people just wishing they were home. A two hour layover in London Heathrow. A seven hour flight which was transferred to JFK. An hour long daze of a car ride from New York to Fairfield. Several clumsy steps through the snow from the car to the front door. A delayed, delicious chocolate birthday cake. My bed.

 

Two heavy suitcases and one backpack. One jetlagged girl who just entered a new decade while over the Atlantic ocean.

 

And after three months, countless amazing memories and tearful goodbyes... I am home again.

 

But it looks different and feels different. I always feel this way when I go away and come back. But this time it is even more noticeable because I was so far away for such a long time. I couldn't help but feel like I left part of my home behind. Newcastle was starting to feel like home for me. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy to be reunited with my family and friends and be back in the comfortable familiarity of my hometown. I just wish I could have everyone I care about and everything I love about the cities I've been to with me at all times. I know that is impossible. This is a realization and a loss which is hard to accept as reality.

 

Then again, how lucky am I to have best friends around the world and more than one place that feels like home? I'll answer myself: Pretty darn lucky.

 

I couldn't ask for a better study abroad experience. I really wouldn't change a thing.

 

I arrived in Newcastle three months ago with no expectations. I didn't want there to be any chance of feeling disappointed like I have been in the past. But it turned out that my time abroad was far better than I could have ever imagined.

 

I learned so much about England and its culture.

 

 

 

I saw so many places I thought I would never get to see: London, Paris, Hogwarts, Madrid and Edinburgh just to name a few.

 

 

I had the best flatmates. We all got along so well and I felt so comfortable being myself around them.

 

I met some amazing friends (both American and English) that I know will be there for me even if the Atlantic ocean separates us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I grew up, learned a lot about myself and couldn't be happier for it.

So, I could be really sad it's over. Well, I am. But wouldn't it be more sad if I wasn't as upset as I was to leave? My desire to stay longer just shows how much I have to be grateful for. I left one of my homes for now, but I'll be back soon.

And I've heard that home isn't a place, it's a feeling. I'm feeling pretty great about the past three months. I couldn't ask for a better way to enter my twenties.