When did February happen?

So. Behind again. You all know the schpeal. (note me NOT saying "sorry" here. Be proud!)

I was in England for Christmas and New Years, had a blast, thank you Juila and your family for sharing the holidays with me!

You’ll get more eventually. I was in York (cold), Cambridge (pretty), London (big, nice museums, the National Gallery was awesome, and the National Portrait gallery thought provoking, the Tower was badass), and Salisbury (my FAVORITE. Countryside, good tea shops, nice walks, old fortresses, and Stonehenge. I loved.). Took the chunnel there and back, minor worries over breakdowns, but I got through with no problems and met another American on the way over. Who was pretty much lots of fun.

January: full of finals, trying to work out class schedules, and minor dramas.

February: still trying to work out class schedules, minor dramas settling down, and grades slowly coming in. I’m behind on homework already, and I get a week break in a few days. I’m headed north, a city in France called Lille with Alicia then forging on to Brussels afterwards on my lonesome.

My mom is coming to visit in March. I’m pretty excited. It’s cold and dreary here, and today is one of those days were nothing is wrong, things are actually pretty okay, but I still feel homesick. I miss things like the smell of yakisoba, being able to joke freely. But at the same time, the concept of going home seems so alien. It’s been so long, and I’m so used to being the “foreigner” now, that going home just seems strange.

How does one go back? I know it sounds like a silly question. I mean, it’s easy enough. Go home, speak the language, get a job, go back to school. But why should one go back? I can do all those things here. I miss home, but I almost don’t want to go home. Perhaps just long enough to hug all my friends and kidnap my sister. ^_^

I’m currently sitting in my favorite café, Le Café Bleu, failing to do my writing homework OR my lit homework. There is nice jazzy music in the back ground and I have my friend Caroline chilling next to me. It’s warm here, and we can see the occasional snowflake coming down. Nothing is sticking, but it still snows. Sorta pretty. If super cold. While, meanwhile, in Oregon ya’all have daffodils already. Yeesh.

I do love France for it’s calm outlook on Valentines day. I haven’t been barraged with reminders of being single. All the choclateries are doing specials, and the bakeries have heart-shaped cookies, and that’s it. So I can take advantage of the chocolate and celebrate the joy of “singles’ awareness day” in peace.

A short, not interesting, slightly pensive update. But on a lazy Wednesday afternoon, where I got up early for an 8am class, I’m pretty impressed I banged something out at all.

So! A Happy Valentines’ Day to you all. I send love and hugs!