The Last Day [for Me]

Most of the Tickets I've Collected
(I found more later)

I decided on the last day to not do much. I know a lot of my peers spent the time making last minute stops to pick up souvenirs or spend the last of their euros but, being sick and lack of cash, I opted to spend the majority of the day sorting through my things and packing. As I was packing, I found the collection of tickets I’ve been keeping of everything we’ve done. I guess I didn’t realize how big the stack would be and therefore, just how much we’ve done throughout the trip. Boarding passes, museum admissions, concert tickets; I asked my friends to pick me up a small scrapbook that I intend to put all of them in. I wonder if, later in the year or even later in life, I’ll look back through this collection of tickets and remember all of these experiences. People say that traveling is one of those things that you’ll never forget but I don’t necessarily think that’s true. I took a trip between eighth and ninth grade to China and all I can really recall from that trip is that I went. Could I really forget this trip though? It seems like there’s too much that’s happened for me to one day forget. 

Getting Ready for the Opera

I was successfully able to pack all my stuff into three bags. Amazing, right? Even packing and looking through all the fun trinkets I bought throughout this trip brings back memories as though they were years old. This trip truly was a lot. There was so much we were always doing, so much we just found. Then, I just laid down on my bed. I didn’t fall asleep but I also didn’t really feel like watching another Netflix show so I just kind of laid there. Part of me wishes I had gone out and explored just a little more but more of me is just glad to have stopped for a minute. I was exhausted (and couldn’t breath out of one of my nostrils). My mind was still overwhelmed by everything I had done throughout this trip and processing that it was over. To just lay by myself in my hostel room was something I didn’t realize I needed. 

The last thing I felt I needed to pick up, souvenir wise, was snacks. The ever most important aspect of any long flight. I’ve never been big on trying new food. Though there’s a very small list of things that I don’t enjoy eating, I’ve always ordered the same things at restaurants and bought the same things at the store; what can I say, I like routine. This trip introduced me to a bunch of new snacks though. Things I would never think to try but ended up loving and buying for myself. And, of course, I had to share with my friends and family back home. So I bought some chips, some cookies, some candy to share. I really can’t wait to have a home cooked meal when I get back. While trying all these different foods has been amazing, there’s just something about a home cooked meal that you can’t compare to—and not just because it’s worlds cheaper. 

My Snapchat for Our Last Performance

The last activity of this trip was Otello the opera. Being at the Vienna State Opera house and it being our last concert, Abby and I decided to dress to the nine’s in long gowns and nice makeup. It’s not often we get to play dress up anymore so why not take every opportunity we can. The world has this nice little ‘round-a-bout’ way about itself. Walking into the opera house, I remembered that this was the same place we saw our first performance, Onegin, twenty-something days ago; to think about all that came and went between those days. The opera was the perfect way to finish this trip. A combination of beautiful orchestration for our instrument lovers and the beyond amazing singers for our vocalists, the show itself was more than we could have ever imagined. Shakespeare was always one of my favorite writers throughout high school and seeing his work brought to life in a musical sense was fascinating. As we left the opera, some of my friends [who happened to be instrumentalists] were astounded by the brass section, while those of us who were primarily singers were captivated by the soloists. I’ve dabbled around in both but, personally, focused more on the singing. The control that the female lead had over her voice and vibrato was out of this world, not to mention the ability to project—without a mic—over a full orchestra to fill an opera house. 

Sunrise as We Leave Vienna

I only got four and a half hours of sleep. My roommates and I got up at 4:00am this morning, finished packing the necessities and are headed back to Seattle. I have one or two blog posts left to write in reflection of this whole trip and I can’t wait to write them. We’ve made it to Heathrow and I still haven’t fully grasped the idea that this is the end of the trip. I keep thinking that tomorrow morning I’ll have a complementary breakfast, a presentation and a fully day of six miles of walking. But no, tomorrow I’ll wake up in my house off campus, have to make my own scrambled eggs and cut up my own fruit then figure out what to do with myself for the rest of the day. Oh well.