There's No Place Like Home. Things I've Learned Along the Way.

If there's one thing a thirty five day vacation will teach you...it's how to miss the people you love.  I miss my Momma and my Daddy.  I miss my brother and Liz.  I miss my Wilson.  I miss my Jessica.  I miss my Loft Boys.  I miss my Sweet Teas.  I miss my Thathy Thurthday companion.  I miss my church.  I miss my Godmother and my Gigi and my Grandma and my sweet aunts and  uncles and cousins.  I miss my bed...my bathtub...and Tex-Mex...and a good vodka and soda with lots of lime...

I've learned so many things about myself on this trip.  Things that the people reading this blog post probably already knew, but were too sweet or too scared to tell me.  I've learned tolerance and compassion go a long way in this world.  I've learned that I'm much stronger (physically, emotionally, and spiritually) than I thought I was.   I've learned that sometimes you don't get what you ask for, but the things that you end up with might just turn out to be better for you, and a hell-of-a-lot-more fun.  I've learned that there is a healing quality to swimming in the open sea...and taking gondola rides.  I've learned that I'm really, really proud to be an American.  I've learned that traveling makes you smarter, and that meeting new people with varied experiences makes you more human.  I've learned that love really is a universal language and should be spoken everyday, loudly, and with vigor all the time to everybody.  I've learned that it takes approximately fifteen straight days of living in the same room with someone to be comfortable enough to poop with the door open and sleep naked...(God bless you Ally Haseltine).  The most important thing I've learned, however, is that I can be happy, truly happy, just about anywhere in the world.  My beautiful, strong, and intuitive roommate calls this quality "growing where you're planted."  Adapting and molding to the circumstances and disturbances life gives you.  Finding happiness wherever you can, however you can and at whatever cost.  Creating happiness out of yourself and of your own accord.  If I can feel at home in a foreign country (several foreign countries to be exact) I can grow and thrive anywhere, with any circumstance and through any disturbance.

My last days in this realm have been some of the best of my life.  I'm dreading leaving this magical place, but I'm also so very excited to get home to the people and places that I know and love so well.  There really is no place like home.

It's been a trip.  Truly.  I'm so glad to have had you along for the ride.  I'm almost a little sad to say that this will be the last of Reba's entries for some time...don't worry though...I'll never be able to stop my heart from exploring now.  Next summer I'm hoping you can come with me to Africa!  ::Gasp::  I know!

                                                                   Peace, Love, and Travel Forever!!
                                                                   Reba

Cotton T-shirt from Target: 8 dollars.  Wearing that shirt 500 times on your 35 day trip to Europe: Your Sanity.  Throwing away that shirt on the second to last day of your trip: Priceless... 

We took a tour of the Cannes Film Festival theatre complex...in French...we got some pretty pictures though!

Imagine this filled with A-list stars!

This is why Technicians are in higher demand than actors are.   Dead theatre...techies still at it!

Our au revoir from the south of France.  Wine tasting at one of Lisa and Marks friends vineyards!  These two got a little   excited about the two young Americans...

Showcasing the goods!

::sigh::...the duck face at it's finest...I was about four glasses in when this was taken...

Yes, you count eight bottles here...yes, we "sampled" all of them...yes, we got drunk.

Our final hotel room...HAS. A. BATHTUB!! FINALLY!!  I'm off for a good soak.  Love ya'll!!  See you soon!!!!!!