Dearest Friends,

I have been home in America for a few days now and I think that I have finally created a coherent thought. I was overwhelmed as I said goodbye to you last Tuesday morning before boarding a bus to head to the airport. One of you rode with me before getting off at a different terminal, which I am so thankful for as I needed the companionship to get me through that trying time. But for now, I want to write about you and what you all have done for me.

This is a letter to convey to you all how utterly thankful I am for our friendship and for our experiences together this semester. When I arrived I had no idea who I would meet and what they would be like, but after only a few hours of getting to know you all, I realized that I sure had lucked out.

You have each influenced me on an individual level and as an overall group. I believe that I am smarter, funnier, happier, and more passionate after our semester together. You have all taught me more about your countries, your cultures, your lifestyles, and have even taught me more about myself. You have challenged me, provoked me, annoyed me, and loved me. You have seen me at some of my worst moments and continued to support me and care for me as I worked through personal issues. You have made me laugh more than I have in my entire twenty-one years of life. But, not gonna lie, you have frustrated the hell out of me too...mainly when nobody would put toilet paper on the downstairs toilet paper roll!

I can now successfully say a handful of Danish and Swedish words, I can make Sangria like a true Spaniard, I watch football (soccer) sometimes on the weekends, and I can put away more tacos than I was ever able to before. But although my individual life has been truly blessed through this experience, I can honestly say that we have influenced one another in so many positive ways as well. We have pushed one another to learn more about ourselves and our own countries as we sat in the kitchen and had deep talks. We forced each other to go to the library but were also great at helping one another to remember that this was also a time for fun! We were constantly laughing and joking, even when we got annoyed with one another.

It still amazes me that a group of twelve people with so widely different backgrounds and cultures could mesh together and create one large family. We've been through some great times and some not so great times, but we did it as one group which made us so much stronger as friends. We were so extremely lucky to have been pushed together in order to create this wonderful group. There has never been a more fantastic rag-tag group of people and for everything, I thank you.

Thank you for showing me the world and for teaching me more about myself than I ever thought possible.

Until we meet again...

Sincerely,

Chicago