I wrote a book while I was in Europe. It’s the story of the trip, it’s really great haha. You’ll read it someday. In the beginning of the book, on the very first page, I decided that it would be appropriate to write something… a dedication. And I chose my father.

“To my father… for making dreams into realities… because there aren’t enough words of grattitude, I dedicate this to you.”

Without him, I would have never been able to do everything I did, see everything I saw, and live everything I lived in my month in Europe. How many people in the world are lucky enough to be able to spend an entire month in Europe with their best friend? The things you learn there, the things you experience… last a lifetime. I am forever in debt for this opportunity and I will never forget it.

I went to Europe, hoping to find more clarity; hoping to find an answer to whether I would like to live there and study there. But here I am, one week after I returned home, and clarity is nowhere to be found. Everything is a blur to me.

Oz and I went through so much in a month of it being just us two in Europe. And I miss him… For those of you who don’t know, the trip was supposed to end by me saying goodbye to Oz in Manchester airport and flying back home. But it didn’t end this way. Oz surprised me and bought the seat next to mine and flew back to Puerto Rico with me for 5 days. The best surprise he could have ever given me, so unexpected, so thoughtful, so meaningful. Seriously, goodness gracious. He left on Sunday morning to go sailing with his dad.

And so, I find myself back home without my best friend, whom I have seen everyday for the past 5 weeks, whom I have eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner with, whom I have shared tears and laughter with, and I find it so strange. Through the entire month our friendship was tried and tested by different obstacles, and in the end we ended up closer and better friends than we could have ever hoped or imagined. At least, that’s how I feel. I don’t know about oz, he’s probably forgotten about Europe all together, that boy forgets everything, I swear.

I told oz, “If we’re going to keep on being friends, we’re going to have to be rich with quickness.” And it’s true, because seriously now, this is the world’s most expensive friendship. We have to fly halfway across the world in order to spend time, and Lord knows that it isn’t cheap. However… these obstacles make me value our friendship that much more, they make me realize how special “the easy vibe” is. It makes me incapable of ever taking this friendship for granted.

The mixture of all these things made Europe into what it was. Much more than an architectural enrichment opportunity, much more than a cultural exposure trip… it was the perfect European adventure. Every city different than the last; every morning, a different adventure for us. We saw everything, went to so many places, but all these things wouldn’t have meant as much if it weren’t for our friendship. Going up to the Eiffel Tower is an amazing thing… but going up to the Eiffel Tower with your best friend for the very first time… that is priceless [well not literally, because you still have to pay a million dollars to go up]. I could have gone by myself, just like he could have gone by himself, and the same monuments would have been there, the same buildings would still be there, the same galleries would still be open… All equally as impressive to a person who is alone, than to a person who is accompanied. You go there not expecting the things that you face, Europe takes control of everything and it has a funny way of surprising you. Europe will give you the time of your life. It just does that. But one’s first time in Europe is never forgotten and is always special. It’s who you’re with that fully makes the experience. And I’m glad that my first time in Europe won’t be forgotten not only for everything that I saw… but furthermore, because of who I went with and what we made Europe out to be.

ps. The pictures are incredible aren’t they?!