Homeward Bound

It is hard to believe that six months have gone by since I was sitting in the terminal at Dulles, wondering if I had made a huge mistake. In the last six months, I have (predictably) had good days and bad days.  I have felt alone and I have felt overwhelmed with support.  I have known exactly what I wanted, and I have felt utterly lost and rudderless.  Most of all, I have felt lucky and blessed.  What an incredible gift to have six months of holiday, to really take time to devote to what you love (in my case, photography) and to really spend time with yourself.

I still don't know what exactly comes next, but I do know that I would like to make photography more than a hobby, and I can't wait to explore the city I've called home the last ten years with the same enthusiasm that I have had in London and Paris.

I think the most important lesson I learned was that it really isn't where, but who you are with, that matters.  And I have been incredibly blessed to have shared this adventure with so many wonderful people.  People I have known for years and people I have only just met.  The latter make it so hard to leave, but just like I know I have wonderful friends and family to go home to, I now have wonderful friends to visit (and please expect me to visit!) in France and England.

I am sure I will do a lot of reflecting on the past six months for days, weeks, months and maybe even years to come.  But for now, I say thank you to London and Paris, for taking me in.  Thank you to the people that I have met along the way for welcoming me into your lives. And thank you to the friends and family that encouraged me to take this trip in the first place.  It has been more than I could have ever imagined.