Last day :(

Today is the last full day of the program...that is both a happy and a sad thing. On the one hand I can't wait to get back home to see my boyfriend and find a place to take riding lessons again; on the other hand, I'm going to miss Germany so much, and Texas is going to seem boring in comparison.

I'm kind of behind on the blogging thing so I need to catch up on some of the experiences I've had over the last couple weeks. I think Nordeney really needs to be discussed...I will remember those few days forever with a mixture of fondness and revulsion. It would have been great if not for the weather. I sincerely hope that next year's group of students is blessed with better weather because rain, wind, and cold are not conducive to an enjoyable bike tour, wattwanderung, or horse riding experience. I have no desire to ride a bike again for awhile after that. The wattwanderung was still a wonderful experience though despite the weather...walking barefoot over the mudflats was a liberating feeling. It made me feel like a kid again digging clams and worms out of the mud. And then there was the part with the knee deep mud :) I won't go into too much detail about that since I want it to be a surprise for next year's group. It was a ridiculously strenuous few days, and I really hope they ease up a little bit for the next group so they can enjoy it more!

I think the horseback riding on the beach was really one of the highlights of the trip for me. I used to be a really competitive jumper rider, but it had been over two years since I'd sat on a horse. I was really concerned that I would have forgotten everything and be back to bouncing around in the saddle like a beginner. It turned out that when I got in the saddle it was like being home again. It felt perfect. My pony was really wound up, but you could tell she had some dressage training :) This was just what I needed to push me into finding a trainer in college station to start taking lessons again. So that was one of those epiphany moments that trips like this are good for I guess.

Anyway, we're in Utrecht now, which I wasn't too sure about at first, but it's starting to grow on me. I got to play soccer with the Dutch and Israeli students! I haven't played soccer since I was in 5th grade, but most of us sucked so it turned out to be really fun. It's sad that I'm this sore after a game of soccer though...

Tomorrow is my last day here, and then it's back to Texas. It's been an amazing month and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat :) That's all for now!