Holidays.

Thanksgiving and my birthday have slipped away all too fast and Christmas is approaching rapidly. Every year flies by faster. I'm done growing up now, Father Time. Thanks for the 21 years, but I'm solid now. I don't really feel like getting older now.

When I was a freshman at San Francisco, it was weird enough being 500 miles away from home for the majority of December, but I always went home for the actual day. Not so this year. This year, I am spending the holidays with my new family of friends whom I adore and care for so incredibly much. But I sure do miss my family and friends in California, the feasts I am missing out on, the atmosphere. It's strange not having that. I feel like it's not even happening. I feel like my American life is on pause and I am over here in Europe living a life I was destined to, that just happens to occur simultaneously.

That being said, I have booked/bought/reserved quite a lot of activities to distract myself from missing home too much. I am 100% booked for my Christmas trip and as Chelsea and I like to say, "We are pot-committed to this trip." Meaning, in poker terms, we've forked over too much dough to NOT have an amazing time.

On December 22, I will be flying into Paris, France with Alex, Chelsea and Arisa. We are staying 4 nights and spending Christmas at Paris Disney Land!

On December 26, we are taking a train from Paris to Brussels, Belgium to spend 3 nights and generally explore the city. I actually had to look up a website for things to do there "besides drink beer." Haha.

On December 28, we're taking an overnight bus in the Chunnel to London, England where we will spend 4 nights, New Years Eve included. Chelsea and Alex are flying home on the first, but Arisa and I are staying an extra day to explore and hit up a museum or two if we didn't have time earlier in the trip.

Should be one hell of a whirlwind, but not quite as epic as our Amsterdam/Dusseldorf trip. In any case, that is my Christmas. Send good thoughts/mojo/prayer/vibes my way that our flights don't get cancelled due to snow. If the London-Málaga flight gets cancelled, I won't be too bummed as it will be another excuse to spend an extra day in London. However, that darn Málaga-Paris better be right on time! Hah. Seriously, though, BE ON TIME.

I miss you, family and friends of the great state of California!