The tour is over. We survived.

Greetings everyone!

It has been awhile since I updated anyone about what I have been doing...let´s see..what have I been up to...Wadlopen, trip to Texel with my host family, organizing and making of the Northies Yearbook, visit from Kelsey (American exchange student in Bulgaria), Rotary Goodbye weekend, last day at school, trips to Amsterdam and of course the Europa Tour.

Well the Europa tour is officially over and what a tour it was! The weather was beautiful, the company was great and the cities were AMAZING!! It is really hard for me to believe that it is all over now because the Europa tour is something that all of us exchange students had been looking forward to since the beginning of the year. The schedule of this year´s tour was as follows...Pilsen, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Florence, Rome, Barcelona, Canyon du Verdon, Paris and Brussels. My favourite city was BARCELONA!!! We spent two days in Barcelona. We took a city tour of all the highlights (La Sagrada Familia, Nou Camp, Parc Guell, Gaudi architecture), had free time to shop and visit the beach, went to a Flamenco show, and enjoyed a tapas dinner!!

This is the beginning of my last month in Holland. I can't believe how fast this year flew by. I am busy packing my things, deceiding what is important to bring home and what is not so important and trying to come up with gifts to bring back for my family and friends. Some of the exchange students are back home already and some are getting ready for the big day just like me. Next week I am taking the NT 2 exam (Nederlands als tweede taal) in Utrecht. It is a two day exam and if I pass all four sections, I will receive a diploma. My goodbye parties are planned, my tickets are booked...I just have to enjoy the time I have left.

So to everyone back home...the countdown is officially on ( 38 days...haha, or something like that). I will be home before you know it . Keep enjoying the summer everyone!

Groetjes,

Deirdre