Goodbye Summer

I can't believe it. I can't believe how fast this summer has gone by. I have only a few more weeks of blissful nothingness to enjoy before it's over (ack). I had quite a few things to accomplish this summer and I think I was pretty successful. Even though some things didn't quite work out how I expected.

First, Spain. Or I should say, Spain!!! I love that place. I had a great time getting to see so many of my favorite Spanish places and faces. And the food. Ohhh...the food. Mmm. It might have been worth it just to eat at all my deeply missed restaurantes. I think Batey and Amber had a good time, I hope they did. We were all pretty exhausted by the end of it. Almost two weeks of non-stop going and seeing and eating and sweating. Yes, Sevilla and Madrid were mind numbingly hot at times. But we survived and we didn't kill each other and ended up having a pretty good time.
Highlights include:

• Tortilla espanola, pisto, patatas alioli, bravas, croquetas, 100 montaditos, chocolate sandwich, gofres...I could go on and on.
  
• Scotland! Really cool place. We kept saying we learned more about the plague and torture than we ever had before.
• Street musicians
• Spain friend time
• Missing our flight - Not really a good time actually.
• Looking for Nessie at Loch Ness.
• H&M
• Our cool apartment/hotel we stayed in.
• The zombie monk we saw running around in the streets of Edinburgh
• and so much more!

After that big adventure, we definitely went to some New Kids on the Block concerts and met the boys! Yes, it was a dream come true. Here, I'll even include a photo of the big moment.So there you have it. Me, next to Jonathan Knight. Swoon.

We also saw Reik in concert (amazing) and I went to a family reunion (good times). Batey and I went to New York to look for apartments and it was possibly the worst trip I've ever taken. Rain, stress and frustration. A recipe for a trip to remember.

So after all that and much decision making, I have decided to move to NYC. Officially. I will be making the journey solo, but I am beginning to look at it as an adventure and not the trail of tears. I will be taking classes to get certified to teach English and I will be living a residence while I look for somewhere else to live. Or until I run out of money and have to move back home. Whichever comes first. Chicken or egg. So I leave the 23rd of August and I will probably be freaking out any minute now. It hasn't really hit me yet. I'm still debating the merits of certain members of my shoe collection but I'm sure I'll realize what's really happening soon. And watch out when that happens.

But for now, wish me luck! I'm excited about this next year. It's definitely not what I thought I would be doing this year but now that I've finally decided to forge ahead with this crazy idea, I think it just might work. Naive optimism? Maybe. But at least I'll get to see some great Broadway shows while I'm there.