In a few hours, I will be heading to the airport. I feel kind of sick. I don't want to think about it. At the train station and in front of Haus Erasmus, I saw all the new exchange students (for the summer programs, I think) and I kept thinking about how for them, the adventure was just beginning. Everything is just starting for them. For me, it is ending and that is sad. Of course, everything has to come to an end, but when it is something amazing, endings suck.

Today, I went to Hallstatt to meet my tandem partner. We were supposed to meet on Monday before he left Vienna to go home, but... well, that kind of failed. Thus, it was decided that we would meet in Hallstatt because it's right by where he lives/the same town he went to high school and it's also a place I've wanted to go for a while.

In case you didn't know, Hallstatt is a very famous town (if you can even call it a town since it only has 500 actual inhabitants or something) because it's basically stuck in the side of a mountain. In fact, you generally have to take a boat to get there. In other words, it is freaking picturesque.

Unfortunately, I had to meet my bank lady this morning at 10AM to close my account. It literally only took 3 minutes, but she wouldn't let me come earlier so that kind of sucked. I had to take a "late" train which sucks because Hallstatt is in the middle of nowhere and all the trains that go between there and Vienna are at awkward times. Anyway, the trip normally takes about 3.5-4 hours BUUUT because I'm super unlucky, there was a random accident/FIRE on the tracks somewhere so I was stuck in the train between Amstetten and St. Valentin for a bit over an hour. This meant that I also missed the connecting train. It ultimately took over 5 hours to get to Obertraun where my tandem partner was picking me up (driving to Hallstatt from Obertraun means that you don't have to take a boat/is more efficient). Since the last train that went back to Vienna was at 6.36PM, there wasn't much time to actually explore. This was kind of sad, but oh well. At least I got to see a lot of Austria on my last day.

When I was coming back to Vienna, I just watched the sun set and Austria fly by. There was such a strong sense of finality in those moments. It was also some of the saddest hours of my life. I can't believe it's all over. I'm not ready to leave. I am so grateful for this entire experience and I am so happy to have met so many wonderful people. Every time I think back to all the things I've had the chance to do this semester, I have trouble believing it. Everything was so amazing. I don't want to leave it all behind. Now I just have hundreds of pictures and lots and lots of memories. I suppose that's enough, eh?

But... I'm afraid to feel like a stranger in my own home. Where is home anyway? I have no idea anymore.

Last moments in Austria

PS: Sorry if this is all over the place and a bit of a downer. In case you can't tell, I'm rather sad at the moment =/.