the farewell tour

Prior to arriving in Finland on August 11, I’m on a 10-day farewell tour of sorts. I’ll be in New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Indiana, and New York again, oh my! Along the way I‘m getting to spend time with my favorite people. These last-chance reunions with friends and family are so special, yet they also make my departure feel a bit more daunting... I want to hold on tight forever!

As a brief overview: In May, I graduated from Villanova University, and now we’re taking this show on the road! As of August 1, I am a legal resident of Finland! Apparently Pennsylvania wasn’t east enough? I never could have imagined that a suburb of Philadelphia could teach me so much and become home so quickly. I feel so lucky to be saying so many difficult goodbyes. While it’s daunting to feel like I’m leaving this all behind, I keenly recall how scary my first semester in Bryn Mawr felt (raise your hand if I facetimed you when I was crying). And yet I couldn’t have imagined the growth, triumph, and delight that awaited me. So as I set off down this new path, I hope to lean in to the uncertainty of new beginnings and embrace an attitude of discovery.

Current thoughts & feelings (sitting at JFK, about to board my flight!):

1. GRATEFUL! It was so special to get to be with and hug and dance and laugh with almost all of my favorite people in the week leading up to my move. Hard goodbyes are a blessing & a curse!
2. EAGER! I've been anticipating this move for over a year now (since I submitted my application). I'm so excited to get my feet on the ground over there, and start to adjust to a new lifestyle.
3. NERVOUS! This one kind of goes without saying! Although I look forward to the challenges and new experiences that await, I'm also nervous about fitting in to a new culture, finding friends among a stereotypically reserved people, succeeding in a new learning environment, learning how to navigate a 7-10 hour time difference, etc.!

Overall, I anticipate that the coming weeks will be rife with big emotions all around. I look forward to using this blog as a space to process and to keep you updated!