It's not goodbye, it's see you later

I have less than a week--5 days to be exact--before I head off for Dallas! I'm excited, nervous, happy, unbelievably sad, and so many more emotions that I cannot even begin to describe! 


On Feb. 4, I had a lovely going away party with the best friends and family I could ever ask for. I got to see some wonderful friends from high school and college, as well as my family in Lancaster and my surrogate families in Gettysburg :) I was so touched that they all came so far to wish me well! 

Gettysburg + Perla at my party :) 

This girl will be one of the hardest goodbyes <3 

Since then, I've finally gotten serious about packing. I have one bag down, one left to go! I need to seriously weed out some clothes because I over-packed. I'm hoping to get that done tonight, because tomorrow I am off to Gettysburg for two days for what I'm sure will be some very difficult goodbyes! I'm trying to keep it all in perspective and remember two things: first, that I am about to set off on an amazing adventure, so I should be happy, and secondly, that this is not goodbye, it's see you later (Thank you for that sage advice, Paige!) 

After that, I'll be spending the weekend at home with my family and Alex, and hopefully visiting with a few more people. I'm just trying to make the most of my last week in America--a phrase I've been throwing around a lot this week, usually in a pathetic attempt to get what I want from my mom ;) 

And now, I'll leave you with this lovely travel quote, courtesy of my best friend and alma gemela, Katie :) 

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.”