Heading out and moving on

This week has been slightly bittersweet. My room is completely packed up and two English girls have already taken up occupancy in what once was my little home for 6 months. My last day of work was Wednesday and although I complain a lot about the job, I really did come to like all of the people and what they taught me on a daily basis. I'm not necessarily saying goodbye to London yet, I'll be back for a little over week after the tour is over before I actually head back to the States. But, it feels kind of weird as it all is coming to an end and a new journey is about to start. Although I always knew that London and my little blue doored Micklethwaite Road home was temporary, I still grew attached to the place, as well as the ups and downs that came along with it. Coming to London and moving into a house of 7 Aussies was probably the most uncomfortable, scary, and culture shocking situation I have ever and probably will ever put myself into. But, now that this part of the experience is about over, I've come to realize that it all was exactly what I needed. Yes I was nervous at first, wondering if I had actually made the right decision by coming here, because things were definitely hard at first. But, after I had settled, got lost a couple times in the city, and found a job full of some crazy Europeans, I found that I had become comfortable with it all and began to take it all in a lot easier. I think that as uncomfortable as I was with the whole situation at first, it was actually a good thing because it really made me realize how tough I am. Everyone's lives are full of scary situations which we can either run away from or plow right through...although the latter is always harder. But running away is easy..I mean there were plenty of times when I was first here that I just wanted to pack up and go home, everything got especially hard when I couldn't find a job for so long. If I had done that though, I would have missed out on so many experiences and people that have made such an immense impact on my thinking and life. So maybe to anyone who is reading this that is thinking of doing something that seems scary or not worth the stress of doing, go ahead and do it anyway, it could change your life.
I'll miss a lot about London, my home, and the people at work. I'll miss the Latvian cook/my co-workers who used me as an American urban dictionary, my Aussie roommates who became more like family (or a Real World: London house), Stuart our one crazy English friend who showed us how to have fun in the city, taking walks through the parks by myself, Jamie and Ellen for being my American confidants/did everything together people, hearing 20 different languages a day, riding the top of a double decker bus, the million times a day I get asked where I'm from in the States with no one ever knowing where Ohio is, the markets, the snow day/random snowball fight in the street, people watching on my days off, the million things I learned in a day about anything, the life I never thought I could have, and the feeling of not knowing what could happen everyday and loving it. But, as much as I have come to love this place it is also time for me to explore a little more by going on this trip. I'll meet even more new people and get a chance to see more of Europe that I haven't been able to touch yet. I am really excited about all of that and I'll try to update this as much as possible. I don't have my laptop anymore so I'm not sure how I'll post pictures but I'll do my best. Hope all is well at home and I miss you all! I'll be home soon...updates on Europe coming soon..I leave tomorrow and will be in Paris by night time!