Good Bye To Harlaxton

Day 1

Day 103

I'm sitting at my desk and I can' believe that my bags are packed to leave. It seems like these four months have flown by. Granted, I'm not going home yet. I'm going to spend 9 days in Italy before I head back to the good ole U.S.A. I'm incredibly excited to go to Venice, Florence, and Rome, but it'll also be nice to finally go home.
It's finally sinking in that I'm leaving Harlaxton and I can already tell how much I'm going to miss it. Never again will I get to live in a beautiful 19th century manor house. Never again will I wake up early to go to British Studies class. Never again will I come home from a trip to see our beautiful manor welcoming me home. That was one of my favorite things.
On my last day here, I can't help remembering January 6th when I rode up in a coach and saw the manor for the first time. It took my breath away. I still feel so lucky that, for four months, this was my home.

I've learned so much this semester. I've realized that I can be more independent than I thought I was. Before I came here, the idea of going to a foreign country and organizing all of the trip details terrified me. Yes, my friends and I have made our fair share of mistakes along the way, but that's how I made some of my favorite memories.
I'm so thankful that I was able to have this opportunity. I've made friends and memories here that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Saying goodbye to this place will be the hardest thing I've had to do in the last four months.So, the only way that I can get myself to leave is by telling myself that I'll come back here someday. No matter what, Harlaxton will have a special place in my heart.

Stay tuned to hear about my adventures in Italia!