So sorry I haven’t posted in a while! Getting into a day-to-day routine here means time starts flying by quicker than you realize. In fact, I’ve been here in Philadelphia for almost 8 weeks now, which officially means I’ve crossed the threshold of having less time to go in Philly than I’ve already completed—what a terrifying thought! I still feel that there is so much for me to see and do in this fantastic city, and I’m not anywhere near ready to leave. We were warned from our first few weeks not to let our time here slip away from us, but with class, internships, and the girls’ new bonding activity of binge watching Korean dramas, finding the time to take advantage of all Philadelphia has to offer has gotten pretty tough. Despite my growing sense of urgency to squeeze as many activities as possible into these last two months though, there’s no doubt that I’ve been busy!
I’ve been lucky enough to spend two weekends in a row now enjoying time with my family. I guess this post will serve as a bit of a catch up as I’ve been absent for a while now, but after this, no more blogging breaks!
I left Philadelphia at 5:10 last Friday evening in a big, red, $16 Megabus that my brother says only occasionally catches on fire. Arriving only an hour or so late, I arrived at our temporary airbnb home, immediately greeted with a puzzle and a trivia game. Yep; I was back with my family all right. Our weekend was wonderful. We visited the Whitney Museum of Art, spending far too long reading each one of those tiny description panels. We stuffed ourselves with the finest of foods, giving special attention, of course, to New York’s top ice cream establishments. We strode through the city, enjoying the bustling streets as we caught up with each other’s lives. Like any family gathering, we had our tiffs and rough moments, but by Sunday afternoon there was nothing I wanted more than for the weekend not to end. I have a pretty amazing family—I can tell you that much.
The next week was tough, as my fellow gap year students and I were filled with an anxious buzz for Friday—the day our families arrived. Internships grew long and wearisome as I remembered my delightful previous weekend and daydreamed about the one to come. NSC kept me busy, however, and provided a much needed distraction. Wednesday morning, I was given the task of picking up a Syrian family of eight in northeast Philly and showing them their way to NSC. As I plugged their location into Google maps on Tuesday night, I realized the trip from my South Philly abode to NE Philly would take over an hour, meaning an early morning for me if I was to get them there by 9:00am. I’m not going to lie—I was dreading the trip. I feared being unable to properly communicate directions, getting lost, or being late. I imagined the family appalled by my own ignorance of the city, wondering who in the world put me in charge of them. My worries were unwarranted, however, as the family greeted me at the door, offering coffee and cakes and insisting on taking photos with me in front of their new home. We merrily made our way to NSC, discovering the wonders of bus tokens and escalators along the way. With a new and exciting task awaiting me at NSC each day, the week flew by—my parents’ well-anticipated 4:00pm arrival time was here before I knew it! After comforting hugs and familiar greetings, we took off for our first adventure of the weekend—the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
To give my parents a taste of the city life, we rode the bus and a subway from the museum to my homestay house, tracing my everyday route to and from South Philly (which may have involved a momentary stop for gelato). After meeting my host, Maryellen and having a tour of the house, we returned to the hotel to curl up on the couch and fall asleep to the news—another family tradition. Our weekend was bustling with things to see, food to try, and people to meet. We quickly decided there was far too much to do than could be accomplished in such a quick trip! I’m currently determining just how and when I can worm my way back into this wonderful city once my semester comes to a close. I know my time here will be over before I know it, a daunting and bittersweet fact that makes me thankful that my parents were able to come catch a glimpse of all Philly has given me. Thanksgiving break is just a month away, with only 2 short weeks back in Philadelphia before we return home again for Christmas break. As much as I long for my Oklahoma friends and the familiarity of home, my comfort is here now, and I can’t yet imagine the steadily approaching moment when I’ll have to say goodbye to the city of brotherly love.
It’s true what they say. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. While texting and facetiming old friends, I’ve been so proud to see everyone growing and blossoming back home or wherever life has taken them. I’m thankful for the kind texts and thoughtful calls, and I hope my friends realize how much and how dearly I truly do miss them. The relationships in my life have been unmatched, and I find myself in awe daily as to how and why I’ve been blessed with the greatest family, friends, and experiences I could imagine. All I can say is thank you to all those who have gotten me here and will continue with me on each crazy new adventure. Missing you all and see you before you know it!
Enjoy a few pictures and a little video from my lovely weekend!
