Another traveling song

Before I left for London, my boss at The Carter Center -- a man I have grown to completely respect and admire for his achievements and passion -- gave me some wonderful advice: "No matter what, don't get jaded." Having done his share of world travel, he told me that I would see endless breathtaking sights and visit countless incredible places. He told me to never, ever let myself say, "Oh, another castle."

With less than a month left until I return home, I'm incredibly pleased to say that I don't feel jaded at all. My heart still skips a beat every time I get a fantastic view of London, museums continue to inspire me, and I keep falling in love over and over again with beautiful parks and gardens. The more I see, the more I want to see. The more I experience, the greater my dreams become.

On Friday, I leave for Amsterdam. I'm traveling with Emily and meeting my friend Livy, who's been studying in Prague this semester. I haven't seen him since the summer and Amsterdam will be a surreal location for a reunion. Ever since my parents went, I've been dying to visit Amsterdam. A city organized by canals and populated by bicyles and symmetrical buildings is interesting enough -- when you add the fact that it's one of the most liberal cities in the world, it becomes irresistible. People joke about going to the Netherlands for a cultural experience, but I truthfully am looking forward to visiting some amazing museums. It should be an excellent weekend.

Tomorrow, of course, is Thanksgiving. I don't feel as homesick as I expected to, possibly because it's easy to forget what day it is when there aren't constant reminders around. That being said, I'll definitely miss home more than ever tomorrow. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays, not because of the food or the football (hah), but because of the wholesome family time. Maybe it's because Thanksiving is less commericalized than Christmas, but the family gatherings seem somewhat less forced and more meaningful to me. (For family reading this, I better be mentioned at least once during the thankful alphabet.)

I feel like once I return to Georgia I'll want to stay put for a while. Traveling can get exhausting, and I've been fighting an overwhelming urge to call some place "home." Things may change, but I'm tentatively planning on staying at Georgia State (and, preferrably, in as few accommodations as possible) until graduation. After that, I'm itching to move to New York. No need to get ahead of myself, though.