Looking Back...

I can't believe it's my last weekend in Heidelberg.  I feel like this semester has flown by, but at the same time it feels like I've been here forever.  Knowing that I have to leave in 4 days is such a strange feeling.  When I first got here, all I wanted to do was go home.  However, I quickly met so many unforgettable people and made so many good friends that I can't imagine leaving.  Sure, this semester was a bit of a roller coaster, but it truly has been such an incredible experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Of course there were times when I felt homesick, but then I just needed to stop and look around at the beautiful city that I had the opportunity to call home for 5 months & the amazing people I've met and I quickly remembered how lucky I really am.  I could never have imagined doing the year long program when I had first got here, or even a month or two ago, but now I almost wish I did.  Now that I'm really thinking about having to leave, I've realized that this is the worst time to leave.  It feels as if I finally completely feel comfortable here and settled in, and then suddenly have to leave it all behind. It's definitely going to be hard, but hopefully I will get to come back soon & I will be able to stay in touch with all my new friends.

Road Trip!

Next up in my travels, I rented a car with a few of my friends and drove up through Luxembourg to Brussels and then up to Amsterdam and back down through Germany.  It was awesome! None of us really knew how to drive a manual car, which made for an interesting ride, but we made it there and back in one piece!  First we stopped in Luxembourg for lunch.  It was nice, but since it was such a spontaneous trip, we weren't really sure what to see, so we just walked around for a little.

Luxembourg, Luxembourg

After lunch, we got back on the road and headed to Brussels.  Upon our arrival, we were not impressed, to say the least.  The GPS took us straight through the ghetto of Brussels to our hotel, so from what we first saw, it was just a dirty city and we didn't know what we were doing there.

The beautiful Sun Hotel

But, for whatever reason, we decided to go out and walk around and hope for the best.  Somewhere along the way, we turned the right corner and found out why we were in Brussels.  There was so much beautiful architecture.

Brussels, Belgium

Brussels, Belgium

That night, we went to the Delirium Cafe, which is famous for it's enormous beer selection.  It won the Guinness World Record in 2004 for having the most different brands of beer (2,004!).

Delirium Cafe, Brussels, Belgium

The next morning, we went to the Grand Place to admire the gorgeous square while enjoying some Belgian waffles.  All of the buildings there are so intricate and incredible.

Grand Place, Brussels, Belgium

Belgian waffle in Belgium!

From there, we drove up to Amsterdam.  I immediately fell in love with the city.  Amsterdam felt like the perfect balance of city life with more rural aspects.  It just has an atmosphere unlike anywhere else I've been.  Although it's a city and there is so much to do, there are also beautiful canals winding through the city and flowers everywhere.  I loved the little brick buildings lining all the streets.  Many cities tend to have at least a hint of a cold, unwelcoming vibe, but not Amsterdam.  I really wish I had the chance to stay for longer than one day.  There are so many museums I wish I could have seen.  Hopefully one day I'll have the chance to go back!

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Netherlands