The Roaming Redhead

I couldn't sleep last night so I was playing around on my iPod and at one point decided to open up my calandar and see how long I have left in Europe. I have 11 days. Immediately the panic set in. How did three months go by so fast? What if I didn't make the most of this trip? What if I go home hating myself because I wasted my precious time in Europe?

To be honest I'm still a little panicked that somehow I've managed to mess everything up. People don't get $9000 scholarships to tour Europe every day, how could I possibly handle such an honor? But I've started to look back on the last few months and consider WHY they flew by so fast. I've made amazing friends. I've seen ballet in Paris, theater in London, and opera in Vienna. I went to a Regency ball in Bath and had the best night of my entire life. I've seen countless artistic masterpieces. I've been to the palaces of the great European figures of history. I've had macarons at Laduree. I've handled beautiful 18th century gowns at a world renowned collection. I've made friends with curators. I've seen clothes from thousands of years ago BC. I've seen those court outfits from that one Versailles exhibit. I've seen a 17th century chateau by candlelight. I've seen the Alps. I've braved foreign languages and navigated strange countries. I've read almost all of Jane Austen. I've eaten French pastries, Swiss chocolate, schnitzel in Vienna, fish and chips and Yorkshire pudding and mushy peas in England. I've sat in Sherlock Holmes' chair in 221B Baker St. I've seen gothic cathedrals. I've braved sketchy hostels, tempermental showers, and uncomfortable beds. I've had magic and romance. I have literally fulfilled every short term hope and dream I have.

All things considered, I think I handled things pretty well.