The Last of Groningen (For Now)

Well here I am leaving Groningen again and this time likely for a long time.  How can I possibly put this last week into words? The Netherlands has been so incredibly good to me and I have enjoyed my time here so immensely, but now I’m told it’s time to start the next chapter of life. Really?! Already?! Two years in grad school have already gone by?? How did that happen?! I feel sad and relieved and excited and totally terrified. Well it is what it is, so here we go…

In my last week in Groningen, I said goodbye to everyone and I must say it is exhausting to have coffee date after coffee date of saying farewell to people you adore. Thanks to everyone for meeting me last minute! I will miss you all and hopefully see you again!

Gerben and I also went once more to Delfzijl as there was a large sailboat gathering in the harbor. It was very cool to see all the big old boats and we even got to wander around one a bit. It gave me the chance to say goodbye to Geb’s parents, who have more or less adopted me over the past year and a half. Thank you Gerard and Marian. You guys are really just the best :D

I made a last trip to my university to pick up my diploma which was quite and enjoyable experience and proof that this whole experience was real and wonderful after all! Yahoo!!! Thank you Iekje and Dania for being the most patient advisors there could ever be and a light in the dark for all your students!

Aside from that it was all packing and preparing and spending a last bit of time with Gerben and Charlie doing my favorite things around the city. As this particular blog is a bit difficult for me to write I will keep it short and finish with a list of all my favorite Dutch things I will miss aside of course from the people:

 
-       I will dearly miss my bicycle, crappy and ugly as it was all rusted with pink bike bags, I will miss being entirely mobile by bike and employing as it my main means of transportation. Yes, even in the rain...
-       I will dearly miss speaking Dutch. I had so much fun learning it the past year and even though it’s not much use outside The Netherlands, I don’t regret a minute of the time I devoted to it. It is an adorable language and I feel adorable when I speak it.
-       I will miss fries with mayo…yes, I am sorry to all my American friends, but ketchup will no longer have a place next to my fries and has been moved to accompany my grilled cheese sandwiches instead….funny how life works…
-       I will miss the big open windows in Dutch houses, where people are not bothered to be inside with the blinds open, and I will in particular miss the view from mine…almost like a little garden jungle 
-       I will miss how well Charlie and Gerben got along and how much fun it was to watch them play.
-       I will miss the dog friendliness in cafes (Charlie will also miss sitting in my lap and having a bowl of water brought to him in almost any restaurant we go!).
-       I will miss the total lack of taboo surrounding sex, homosexuality, talking to strangers and mental illness.
-       I will miss good dark rich biting espresso.

So there it is. Mr. Charlie Pants and I are locked and loaded and coming back to Idaho and to Mom and Savannah Sue and my big wonderful family and friends and so many other things we miss and love. I am going back to a whole host of people whom I care for and who care for me which is such a great feeling, but it will always be hard to leave some places, and this is one of those places. Don’t worry Groningen, we’ve done good. I won’t forget. Hopefully I’ll be back at some point, even just to say hello. Take care of yourself. I miss you already. xoxo