I never thought these words would leave my mouth…but now
they finally are. I’M HOME! I keep thinking about the endless times I caught
myself daydreaming about being back in my own room, laying in my king-size
creaky antique bed surrounded by my violet purple walls and the sound of the
crickets chirping outside from the pond. Towards the end of my 10 months in
Europe, I really started to miss home, I have to admit.. I felt accomplished and
fulfilled.. like I had completed every crazy task and seen every mind-boggling
thing possible…been through every scary, awkward, insane, exhilarating and of course
joyous moment possible for a 19 year old in Europe. And I wanted home.
And finally, body achy and throat dying from over-work at a final
week-long trip to Hungary for an electronic music festival and 4 days of
camping, I walked off the plane in Boston. As I ambled out of the arrival exit,
lugging my two impossibly heavy suitcases, and saw my mom and aunt jumping
around and waving at me over the heads of the crowd, I felt an immense wash of
relief over my body. Finally seeing family there for me, people who really
cared about me, felt simply amazing. I realized that this was what I had been
starting to crave these past few months. I was finally starting to feel the
need to have someone there who I knew really cared, who really loved me. And
the only people like that in this world are your family members. I can’t even
explain how good the feeling was to see them there. Even though I wasn’t quite home yet, it sure felt like it.
And here I am now, sitting at my desk, staring at my bulletin
board covered with racing patches and numbers from my track & field days in
high school, my memory board from my graduation party last summer, covered with
goodbye and good luck messages from my friends, the glass donation jar from the International Service club I ran
last year, textbook laying upon textbook...AP US History, Chemistry, SAT
practice. And I can’t help thinking to myself, did this year in Europe actually
happen? Staring at my room and all these reminders of high school…it just feels
like I never left. Like this year in Belgium was just some really long, fantastic
dream. And now I’m back in real life, getting ready for more textbooks and fundraising
and sport training. Did I really leave this stuff for an entire year? Is it really
possible, that I just kind of forgot about it all? I guess it is…
But the good thing is that I have countless ways now to remind
myself that this past year actually did occur. My mom opened my large carry-on
suitcase and exclaimed, “Margot, you have more mementos in here than actual
clothes!” Yes, I did bring home every club card, wristband, pin, postcard,
picture, train ticket, note, drawing, business card and anything else that had
any sort of reminder of something I did that year. Mementos
are honestly the
best reminders. They are a reminder enough that you remember that you were
there, but they are vague enough to make you have to think hard about all the
events and worth-recounting things that happened while you were there. It is
sometimes an even more fulfilling experience than looking at pictures. Because
it really forces you to remember…and then you recall things that happened that
pictures would have made you skip over. Oh and yes, the postcards I collected
(I have one from very country I visited) are for making a collage on my dorm-room
wall and causing jealousy from all my roommates. (just kidding…maybe). 
Well, during my very short 2 weeks here in America, I am
trying to fit in doing as many American things as possible before being shipped
off to Canada. Yesterday I went to the Saratoga County Fair with an old friend
and my sister… Let me tell you, fairs are probably the most American you can
get. Just two words: fried oreos.
Not to mention the fried Kool Aid, Reeses and PB & J… And all the spinny
rides that make you throw it all up. And the pig races, lumberjack olympics and
bad comedy shows. And all the fat people who spend the entire week at the fair.
(I swear they do...that’s why they have showers right next to the bathrooms).
Yes, I am really throwing myself back into American culture. I feel like I am
kind of obliged to do that...after leaving my home-country for 10 months. Today
I am going to the horse races up in Saratoga. Still have to make it to a few
more of my favorite ice cream places (I have a lot). Better get on that… The
Country Drive-In is calling.
Keep checking my blog because I will try to keep it up
throughout my time at school in Vancouver. Sure to be more exciting stories to
share!
Til next time!
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