January 20, 2003

Well, we’re almost home. We’re on the last plane from Los Angeles to Cincinnati. I feel as though I’ve been gone for a year. These past two weeks have honestly have felt longer than the four months I spent in Europe last Spring Term. That’s good though. I was worried that I would feel too rushed with just 12 days in country. While I still want to go back and see more, I feel as though the trip exposed me to what I needed to be exposed to. I’m a much better international studies student now; that’s for sure.

I can’t believe that when we land there won’t be another plane to catch, another hotel to check in to. The mood is good right now. Most of us are so tired that there’s just no energy for much emotion, but I think that we’re all going to miss each other. We may have been a very diverse group, but variety is the spice of life, and we sure were spicy. I think it will be interesting to see how we all interact once back at school. Whatever our backgrounds before this trip, we have now shared something that few others can relate to, and that has brought us together. We won’t stay together, but whenever I see one of the others in the group, I know that bond will be there.