there was no time during the last week in london, so i never really got to provide some closing thoughts on my abroad experience, so here it goes:

really, overall it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. i'm so glad that i decided to go, even though i was sort of forced to apply by my mom and mv. but it was the best decision ever. and not to sound cliched or anything, but it really gave me the opportunity to grow and think and become more independent. meredith referred to this fall as the beginning of my "breakout year," and it's true. i'm starting to think more for myself, and i'm not so scared about doing things on my own. i won't ever be the most outgoing person in a group, but i think that i won't be retreating to my anti-social hermit ways.

though i didn't hang out with many british people, i met the most interesting and diverse kids through the arcadia program, many of whom i would have never encountered outside of this sort of experience. they came from all over north america, from canada to pennsylvania, and from different backgrounds (an irishman named eamonn fanning? and an italian named vito castelgrande? wow.). they were aspiring actors, writers, teachers, and businessmen. they were all different, coming from different upbringings and ideologies, but i've never hung out in a group that clicked as well as we did. and who would have thought that most of my friends in london would be guys, with meredith's help? certainly not me, and for those of you who know my track record, you know that i can be rather afraid of those enigmatic members of the opposite sex. but i pretty much got over all that and found that boys can be very agreeable and entertaining. plus, they give good bear hugs (well, maybe not the skinny ones). i was the most fortunate in finding two great friends who were just two flats down from me. i was never bored with meredith and kate, and we always had a blast whether we were gallivanting around the city or cooking dinner while listening to "magic" every night in the flat.

having co be, matthias, and manuel nearby was so great, and i'm so lucky that i got to witness so many of manuel's firsts. i finally got to spend time with a baby, and the cutest one on earth nonetheless. my six months away from home, school, and family were made much easier to bear because of my new friends and favorite relatives.

i'm back home now, seeing old friends, spending time with family, and getting ready for christmas. i miss london terribly, but i guess all good things have to end sometime. and i can always go back, since there are still some things that i have left to see. i hope this year has been going as well for you as it has been for me, and i'll see many of you when i get back to evanston in january. have a merry christmas and a happy new year!