The countdown begins...

I'm sitting at my computer right now after another night of studying about two hours later than I should thinking that it's been quite a while since my last blog. The last week as been an emotional roller coaster as reality is sinking in and slowly my room is becoming more empty as I start to pack up. There isn't any exciting excursions or visitors to write about this time but this week has not been any less meaningful by any standard.

Lately my mind has been so incredibly busy that it's been keeping me awake at night. I keep running through all the little errands I have to do before I leave Tilburg (gasp!) next Thursday in less than a week. Buy my train tickets, close my bank account, study for and write two more exams, clean out my room find the time to properly say goodbye to the new and wonderful people who have touched my life. The problem is I write exams up until the very last day I live in Tilburg so it is incredibly stressful to find the time to enjoy my last moments with people when I should be studying instead. The dilema is that when I study I'm too distracted to give 100% and when I'm spending time with friends I feel too guilty for not studying that I can't enjoy their company 100%.

I'm just realizing now how fast time has blown by. I wish I could just hit a pause button somewhere so I can find my bearings. So far I have been able to hold things together fairly well. At any point now various people will just randomly burst into tears if something too funny or too good happens - we all know we are going to have to say goodbye to all of this in such a short while. I have been able to hold my tears in superbly - even at the final gala last friday - I was determined not to cry. But then today with the arrival of my yearbook - reading through everybody's quotes, favorite memories - the seal was broken and I have to admit I shed a few. The good thing is that if one person starts crying at least two other people will start to cry too and then laugh at the same time.

I don't want you all to think that this is some sort of really depressing time for me as the above might sound - not at all - in fact quite the opposite. I am definately ready to come home again and don't dread the idea at all. I miss my family, I really miss Howie and can't wait to see him, I miss my friends back home, and a clean kitchen for a change. Living in Tilburg is something that is both wonderful but also tiring at the same time. I am always doing something, going somewhere and have too many things to do. It will be nice to simplify my life again.

As one last 'adventure' before heading home my Aussie friend Annalise and I booked flights to Greece for my last week before heading home. Annalise is going to stay in Greece for three weeks but I'm just going to join her for her first four nights. I'm hoping to soak up some sun and relaxation time so I can come home well rested and tanned! We fly into Athens on June 1, take a ferry to Ios and after two nights in Ios we take a ferry to Mykanos so I can catch my flight off that island and back to Amsterdam. I have one and a half days left in Holland to tie up any loose ends - and pick up some souveniors (whoops - shouldn't have left that to the last minute!)

So wish me luck in my exams and please pray for my safety and sanity these last two weeks of exchange...