Back from Haitus

After a lovely winter break filled with international travel, old friends, and (surprise) family visits, I have returned to my second home in Jordan! Though Jordan decided to welcome me back with snow and cold, I've managed to have a splendid couple of days catching up with friends, watching netflix and eating sushi with A Mac, and taking enough cold medication to maybe not be sick anymore? As we get ready for another round of classes, I just wanted to take a minute to thank all of you for quite a lengthy list of things!

First of all, A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who donated money to my project for the refugee family, shared their story, or sent a prayer our way. The project was fully funded and we were able to fix the roof on the house, some exposed electrical wiring in several rooms, and get medical checkups for the kids. It's a lot to have accomplished, and I couldn't have done it without friends both here and at home. I seriously cannot thank you all enough for your contributions- it means the world to me, and to this family.

Secondly, I wanted to say thank you to everyone who helped me pull off the surprise visit to Kentucky (looking at you, Jose). It took a lot of coordination with a lot of people, and a lot of ridiculous flight plans with no sleep, but it ended up being an awesome memory. From Portugal with one of my best friends, to Berlin with my cousin, and my Kentucky home with all the people I love, this was definitely one of the craziest and happiest months of my life. I cherish the memories I made drinking champagne in the streets of Lisbon on NYE, snuggling on the couch with Harry Potter on a snow day, arguing politics and religion in Quill's, feasting on too much Gyroz with my awesome Lexington “parents,” eating delectable calamari at my favorite old haunt, and finally getting to run around the Shedd Aquarium like a little kid. Thank you to all of my beautiful friends and family that came to see me, thank you to all the lovely people I met while traveling, and thank you to all the people that let me crash on their couches!

I would also like to thank all of my Jordanian family for their continued friendship, laughter, dancing, and memories. Even if some of you made me cry at the airport (ahem, Sirs) I was so thankful and happy I had you all to return to. I’m incredibly grateful to have met so many amazing people during my time here, and I can’t wait to see what opportunities continue to unfold in Jordan.

Finally, I’d like to thank my mom for continuing to love me despite the fact that I’m always leaving her, I decided to move across the world, and our goodbyes never get any easier. If it makes you feel any better, I had horrible jet lag this time. Absolutely horrendous. I might tell you the next time I plan a return stateside, but it never gets any easier to leave.

If this past month has taught me anything, it is to treasure the people who bring happiness into my world, to never to let life pass by without taking a moment savor how lucky I am, and to have gratitude for this many good memories, this many people I love, and this many places to call home.

Thank you guys for being a part of this exhilarating experience.

Love,

Leah