Home?

For the record...

The abroad experience has been amazing and London feels like home. As much as I am trying to savor every second of it, however, I'm going to be ready to go once May 2 rolls around. I've done some research (a.k.a. talked to some of my fellow Syracuse London abroadites) and we've agreed that it's getting to be that time. We talk to people at home who always say 'what are you talking about...you're in London--how can you possibly want to come home?' But lets be honest, the people at home have never gone through the agonizing process of looking at prices and then mentally doubling it to figure out what it sets you back in U.S. dollars.

And lets be honest. We all miss the 'Cuse a little bit. The familiar faces, house parties, basketball, sushi/bubble tea...(ok maybe that's just me), being greeted with a searingly painful shade of orange everywhere you look...And then there are the general U.S. things. Anybody who has spent the semester flying Easyjet and Aerlingus (that's what she said) and of course good old Ryanair, will probably feel my pain when I say that as I was sitting on the runway at Heathrow heading to Dublin for the weekend and the pangs of familiarity when I saw a United Airlines plane taxi up behind us brought tears to my eyes. I mean, it will be nice to get on a plane again with an assigned seat or the fear of unruly Irishmen needing to be physically restrained on the plane. Once upon a time...while catching a flight to Barcelona for spring break, we were standing in line at one of London's out-of-the-way airports, when a group of Irish guys spanning in age from early twenties to mid-fifties got in the line to check in for our flight whilst drinking beer. (Keep in mind there isn't an open container law here. Also keep in mind that it was 11 a.m.) One of them tapped on my shoulder in line and asked...'how old are you?' without any other sort of interaction. (I just gave him the stinkeye and turned back around without answering.) At any rate, we were worrying as we waited for the flight that we'd end up sitting near them. Well...since my buddy from check-in was too large to fit into his original seat, the flight attendants decided to put him in our little row of three. (We were thrilled.) At various times, he passed out with his legs facing into the aisle, which made maneuvering the drink cart difficult, he started walking around when the fasten seatbelt sign was on. Finally after chugging another beer on the flight and hollering back to his equally drunk friends across rows and rows of seats, it was time to land. In the mountains. It was at this time that he decided it would be a good idea to walk around. After about 20 times of telling him to sit down, the flight attendants finally told him that if he didn't sit down the police were going to meet us on the runway to arrest him in Barcelona (a.k.a. in the middle of nowhere 2 hours south of Barcelona.) Ahhhhh yes....at any rate, the point is that flying the European budget flights isn't necessarily living the life.

It's been great, but it's going to be good to get home. I'm sure the Dublin story (a.k.a. getting 'farted at' on a busy city street will come up at some point in the near future.)

Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks for listening.

~Jamie