Timeout.

The time for travelling has come to a brief end for now.

In the meantime before my next adventure, I will continue to post my thoughts on what's going on in my life at my new blog:

erynshumway.blogspot.com

Feel free to check it out if you so desire.

For me, writing is therapeutic and that is what this blog will be for me. No expectations, mmk?

And hopefully at the end of all this, I'll find myself a better person.

For now - Au Revoir, Ciao, Auf Wiedersehen. Te amo.

Waiting for Vienna.

I'm sitting in the Vienna airport waiting for my flight to Paris reflecting on all the lessons this experience has taught me. I can't fully explain how I feel about this adventure, but Billy Joel says it pretty nicely as well.

Slow down, you crazy child.
You're so ambitious for a juvenile.
But then if you're so smart, tell me, why are you still so afraid?

Where's the fire? What's the hurry about?
You better cool it off before you burn it out.
You've got so much to do and only so many hours in a day.

Don't you know that when the truth is told
You can get what you want or you can just get old?
You're gonna kick off before you even get halfway through.

When will you realize...
...Vienna waits for you.

Slow down you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be before your time
Although it's so romantic
On the borderline tonight

Too bad but it's the life you lead
You're so ahead of yourself that you forget what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong
You know you can't always see when you're right.

You've got your passion, you've got your pride
But don't you know only fools are satisfied?
Dream on
But don't imagine they'll all come true.

When will you realize...
...Vienna waits for you.

Slow down you crazy child
Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while
It's alright
You can afford to lose a day or two

When will you realize...
...Vienna waits for you.

All My Love

Sometimes you decide to live in another country for 2 months. And sometimes, you realize how crazy a decision that is, given that you don't speak the language there at all, you don't know any of the people going, and you are leaving a whole life behind you if you go. But sometimes, you find out that those are the best life decisions. Sometimes you have the most memorable experiences, sometimes you learn the deepest lessons about yourself, and sometimes you meet the most wonderful people to influence your life.

I am so incredibly grateful to have been on this study abroad. I have grown so much as a person - emotionally, spiritually, and possibly a little bit physically. The gelato in Italy was really good, ok? Don't judge. ;)

On a more serious note - a personal thank you to everyone who has helped enrich my experience here in Vienna. We've had a good run. I'll miss Kaylie's puns, Devin's stories, Caitlin's "Yoohoos," and all the unique things every one of you have contributed to our little group. I'll subconsciously play "Deal or Ditch" on BYU campus, I'll probably avoid playing 20 questions, and Emperor's New Groove will always have a sentimental place in my heart. And while those are all quite true, I'll also remember and treasure the things I have learned from all of you and the experiences we have had together.

Remember that one time we were in Europe, guys?

Yah, that was fun.

What an incredible journey to have been a part of.

"Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin. And there are many things that don't really end, anyway, they just begin again in a new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are never-ending."
-C. JoyBell C.

#byuvienna2014 #justayoohooaway <3

All my love,

Eryn

Distance.

They say distance either makes the heart grow fonder or wander.

I've been a lot of places recently, but my feet are the only thing wandering. Promise.

I love you and miss you all!

Liebe,

Eryn

Switzerland.

I apologize for the mass amount of pictures that is about to follow.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to Switzerland. Best life decision. Seriously though. If any of you have the chance to go to this beautiful country, go!

Our first day we stayed in Interlaken. We went on a hike past 72 waterfalls. We walked around an underground waterfall. We took a tram up to the top of the mountains and walked around the little town up there. The next day we went canyoneering in the Alps where we repelled, slid through the river, and jumped off waterfalls. Instead of me rambling on about it, I'll just show you instead:

 

 After our time in the mountains, we headed to Bern. We got to do baptisms in the Bern Switzerland temple! Then we visited the bear park in the city, soaked our feet in the river, and explored the town.

Great time with great friends at the temple.

Baptisms!

                     

 

 

     

     

     

Playing Chicken in the fountains.

Playing Wizarding Chess by the Bern Parliament building.

We also went bowling. The group next to us was drunk and bowling in sumo fat suits. It was a good time :)

 A beautiful country, truly. I'm determined to return.

Salzburg, Austria

Please forgive the mass amounts of posts right now. I've neglected to update this blog recently, so I'm playing a little bit of catch up.

July 3-5: We left Vienna and headed for Salzburg, Austria! Our first day, we headed straight to Lake Attersee. We swam, sunbathed, and took a jaunt out on the lake on a paddleboat. It was a lovely day. The best way to describe my experience is to show you through pictures.

Diving board, dock, AND slide.

Just look at that water.

We jumped off the paddle boat into the middle of the lake. Best life decision.

Picture perfect.

The next day we headed out to Hallstatt, a quaint little town in isolated part of Austria. We first took a train, and then a bus, and then another train in order to get to the general vicinity of the town. Then we took a ferry across the lake to arrive in Hallstatt. So quaint.

                                     

s

This was also the Fourth of July. Being in a foreign country meant no fireworks or parades, but we had to find SOME way to celebrate. So naturally, we started off with some Turkish kebaps and Italian gelato. I did find some patriotic souvenirs though!

'Murica.

Then to top off the evening, we stopped at good ol' Mickey D's and rocked out to "Proud to be an American" and "Born in the USA" in our hostel.

                           

                                      God bless the USA.

Stars and stripes forever.

July 5: We wandered through the streets of Salzburg, found Mozart's Geburthaus (birth house), and did a Sound of Music bike tour. We sang all of the songs from the movie by the time we finished.

Mozart's Geburthaus. Y'all should be impressed by my stealth skills here because technically we weren't allowed to take pictures here. Oops.

Locking their love on the bridge in Salzburg.  Europe would be a great place to fall in love.

View from the bridge.

We ate lunch here. THIS IS IN SOUND OF MUSIC.

I have confidence in sunshine!

The hills are alive with the Sound of Music.

                             

                                    Yeehaw!

Yippeekiyay!

We recreated scenes from the movie. Also, my bike's name was Louisa. So cute! 

Overall, it was a wonderful trip filled with wonderful people and wonderful memories! I love Austria!