Home at last

Well, as we have now been home for a day, I thought I'd post my last blog (and first blog in a while, as it turns out) as a reflection on the trip as a whole. One word sums up my feelings on the tour: epic. Epic music was performed in our concerts. Epic experiences were shared among friends as we saw the historic sights of Germany and the Czech Republic. Epic perspectives were gained, through learning what it was like to live in communist housing during the Russian occupation of East Berlin and the Czech Republic. Epic food was most certainly ingested, as Mr. Williams will enthusiastically attest to. I myself, had an overall epic cultural experience. The knowledge I gained of Germany, magnified by my love of Germany and the German language, is priceless. The friendships we made and fostered were most definetely epic. The constant feeling of brotherhood and selflessness towards those who need a little help to get by was astoundingly epic. As many may know, without these epic qualities, I would not have been able to finish a successful trip. Sure, we had our rough patches, as all trips and tours do, but we got there and oh, what a ride it was. We all miss Europe very much, I'm sure. We miss our epic host families, or "German parents," as I and other students have dubbed them. But we also are happy to be home with our real families, and a nice summer to share with friends and family before we embark into future years. For many of us this means college. Some others are continuing their high school careers. Whatever the case may be, we are better people because of the epic experiences we shared together on this most epic tour to Europe. I want to extend a personal thanks to everyone for all your help and caring, and I wish everyone this best in their future endeavors. As we say in German, "Gesundheit, schoenheit, und viel Gluck!" (To good health, beauty, and lots of luck!), auf wiedersehen...CP