Sunday: An "I don't have to run" Day

Today was a leisurly day here at the Theresianum. We slept in and enjoyed a fabulous lunch of baked chicken, rice, and stuffing. There was also a banana custard pie, with hardened chocolate coating, for dessert. After our meal, Matt and I took our usual walk up to the candy store to purchase some homemade chocolates.

We had awakened to a bright and sunny window this morning, but don't let those golden rays fool you; it's still under 50 degrees here. With the wind whipping down the street, we were grateful for our scarves. After getting the usual chocolate fix, I sought refuge in our room. The past weekend gave Matt and me a good chance to clean the room, neaten everything up, and even put up some new posters. It's been a month and five days since we have gotten here, and it's nice to have the feeling of home in our room.

Today I spent a lot of time reflecting on my trip thus far. It really seems like we have just gotten here, but in fact, we are a third of the way through our Great European Experience! It blows my mind when I really think about how fast time is flying by. Classes have been interesting, the food has been good, and for the most part I feel like everyone has really grown accustomed to living here. The internet keeps us connected to our loved ones back home, and we're simply enjoying the time we get to spend here.

I also noticed through the absence of over half the group, how much of an impact we have on each other. It wasn't the same being in the Theresianum without the whole group being here. It was nice to hear everyone coming back from their trips this morning. Everyone arrived home from his or her travels, high in spirit, rich with experience. As Christopher McCandless said in the 2007 film, Into the Wild, "The core of man's spirit comes from new experience.” This is derived from the ideas in Thoreau's book, Walden, and I think it exemplifies our lives here in the EU perfectly.

I look forward to the countless new experiences we are undoubtedly going to encounter here in the next two months. It's been nice talking, Cheers! Smeg