Home!

As the end of my trip approached, I realized I was ready to come home. Getting to spend an extended period of time in another country has been a blessing, and I am so glad I have been able to experience it. No matter what, though, it will never be home.

What I've really taken away from this trip is a nationalism that I would never have predicted. Upon embarking on this trip, the expected outcome was a love for Europe so great that I would never want to come home. In fact, the opposite took place. I found myself talking to my European friends about all the great things the United States has to offer, and getting defensive over their slights. As someone who has never considered "patriot" an applicable term for themselves, I was surprised by my sudden pride in my country.

It was a wonderful experience to be able to really get to know a country and its residents. It was the first time I have ever been able to get past the feeling of being a tourist in a foreign place. By the end of my trip, I could

• Get around without pulling out a map
• Speak enough Dutch that I could (occasionally) communicate without revealing my ex-patriot status
• Recognize what that bell dinging behind me meant, and get out of the bikes' way

I've learned so much in the past five months, and I'm really going to miss it here. 

For now, though, I can't wait to get back home!