In the past 608 days I have visited 14 new
countries, met people who have forever changed my life, and learned so very
much about who I am and who I want to be. I’ve had incredible days filled with
exploring, wonder and the best food I’ll ever have; I have also had some of my
lowest days. This experience has been amazing, and I am extremely grateful to
everyone who’s been involved, especially my parents and the Letchers, for their
constant unwavering support, love and guidance that not only gave me the confidence
to embark on this adventure, but to make the most of it.
Now,
it’s time for me to go home. There are many reasons for this, but it can be
best explained by saying that after all of my travels, there is no where in the
world I’ve found that I’d rather call home than where my family is. Knowing
exactly where my home spot is, and that it will be waiting for me with open
arms when I return has given me the ability to wander as I have this past year
and a half. I will return home and become more grounded than I have been
recently, although I will carry with me the adventurous spirit that I have
found within myself and I will continue exploring and traveling in a different
way.
When I get home I plan to get back into taking
classes as soon as I can, maybe even this summer, find a job, and spend as much
time with my family as possible, especially sweet Nathaniel who was 6 months
old when I left and is now two. If I regret anything about taking this chance
and moving to Europe, it is missing his first precious years. I will eat chick
fil a daily for at least a month, and I will never again take advantage of the
ability to have it whenever I want. I will spend at least a week at the beach
with my wonderful grandparents and finally start the biker gang we’ve been
planning on creating for years. I will shamelessly live with my mommy and daddy
for the first few months of my return simply because I want nothing more than
to see them every day as much as possible. I will walk the isles of target on a
Sunday because I CAN. I realize my plan is incomplete, and that stresses me out
more than you could know, which is why I choose to avoid talking about these
changes as much as possible, and why I am writing about it in a blog instead of
calling each of you and explaining. I don’t have answers to the questions
you will ask. I don’t have a definite plan, and I hate that. However, I know I
will figure it all out in time.
I will arrive in Atlanta on Tuesday April 23rd.
In my time left before that, I will be traveling to Belgium, The
Netherlands, and a few cities in Germany. Then, the week before my flight, my
lovely friend Britny (whom has been absolutely incredible to me these past few
months, opening her home to me and offering her care and friendship that I cannot
thank her and her husband Michael enough for. I truly would not have been able
to get through the past month without them) and I will be going to London. I
will be making the most of my last two weeks living in this beautiful country
and return home with empty pockets and a full journal. See you soon, Georgia.