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