Life - Full Throttle!

Since the 18th of March, when I left my beloved Europe, my life can be described as nothing short of heading full throttle into life after University.

Stepping off the plane onto U.S. soil was, as per usual, a mix of emotions for me. This time this was accompanied by a degree of uncertainty. For once in my life - I do not have all the steps ahead planned out and strategized. My story after the end of July is unwritten right now, which is both exciting and a bit nerve racking.

Opting For See You Soon!

A weakness of mine - I cannot say 'Goodbye'. I am a firm believer that there is never a moment for actual Goodbyes, but rather that there are periods of separation in life. These periods are the reason why moments together must always be cherished. I believe that everyone in my life means something, that every person I encounter aids me in my life journey, making me who I am. It is the people in my life that create beautiful memories. While I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate beautiful places, it is the people that make that place special.

I have been thoroughly blessed with the people in my life - my time in Maastricht was no exception to this. To come to such a beautiful city, not knowing a soul, and to leave with friends I regard as family is something I will cherish all my life. I have grown as a person here, pushing beyond the familiar into a territory which forced me to discover more about who I am. Everyone here, from my housemates to my classmates to all my other friends, I will miss dearly. But as I said before - it is not goodbye - it is a 'See You Soon'.

Want to get to know my academic inclinations?

Typically, this blog is used to display my various travels and explorations of culture. Rarely do I discuss the countless hours pouring over legal documents or my other academic pursuits. I like to keep this blog about travel and cultural explorations, so I will not be changing that in the slightest. However, I do want to provide you all with access to my academic interests.

Carnival

Carnival in Maastricht is simply one of those things that you must experience to fully grasp the utter madness. Every direction you turn there are decorations, entire families decked out in the most elaborate costumes ever seen and smiles all around. I am incredibly glad that I stayed in Maastricht during Carnival and that I was out every day to witness the shenanigans. I will never forget the creatures that came into being for those days in Maastricht. The time, and money that people put into the creation of their carnival costumes is something that Halloween in the states will simply never be able to touch. I will never forget chatting to this demon with horns, a crow feather cape and grotesque black claws, only to look into their eyes to see nothing but demonic black. The creativity in what people 'became' for those days was, quite simply, boundless.

Sight of Winter in Copenhagen

The final week of my trip to Copenhagen I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends from Maastricht join me, and therefore I had an excuse to see all the landmarks once again. Even though I have been to many of these places numerous times, it never 'gets old' and I still am full of wonder as I walk through Dyrehavn, see the Lille Havfrue (Little Mermaid), or stroll through the baroque gardens of Frederiksborg Slot (castle). Since most of these places have been covered before in my blog I shall instead show you some pictures of these Copenhagen treasures in the wintertime. 

One of my favorite places in Copenhagen in the wintertime is Tivoli, which turns into, quite simply, a winter wonderland. 

Tivoli