Day 7: Amsterdam

5:00 am came very quickly this morning.  That was the time we all had to get up to check out of our hotel in London and take the subway to catch the train to Brussels.  Our route took us under the Chunnel, but unfortunately, I fell asleep for that part of the trip.  I woke up and could immediately tell we were in a different country because all of the cars were driving on the right side of the road.  The train transfer in Brussels was a little hectic.  Since no one knew where we were going (and no one spoke the language) everyone just started following the first person who moved in any direction.  Because of that, we missed the soonest train.  (Not that it mattered…our tickets were valid for any train to any station in The Netherlands).  We had to wait an hour in the station, but it really was not too bad.  The second train was not as nice as the first one but it got us safely to the Airport in Amsterdam.  From the Airport we had to take a third train to the Amsterdam Central Station.  Each leg of the journey took longer than we were originally anticipating and we did not make it to Amsterdam until after 5:00 pm.  No one had eaten since breakfast; understandably, everyone was starving.

In Amsterdam, we picked up our tour guide, Patrick.  He will be driving our bus until we finish the trip in Rome.  He is a native of Holland and a lot of fun.  We went out walking with him after we checked into the hotel.  Amsterdam is an interesting place.  I feel like I need to be a lot more on guard than I was in London.  Maybe part of that is due to the negative reputation Amsterdam has for things like drugs and prostitution.  As I found out, that is a reputation they rightly reserve.  When some guys from the group asked the hotel attendant what she recommended that we do she suggested the beer festival and the red light district.  Hence the reason we went out walking with Patrick.  He was planning on taking us to Dam Square for dinner but he got lost.  We ended up walking about a mile or more in the wrong direction.  Other than the fact that we were starving it was not too bad.  Amsterdam is a beautiful city.  There are canals that crisscross their way all throughout town, and flowers everywhere.  The city itself is built on stilts and is slowly sinking.  For that reason, the building are all leaning different directions.  The other thing I immediately noticed about Amsterdam was all of the bicycles.  You can't hardly walk anywhere without having to worry about getting run over by a bike.  The bike lane looks like the sidewalk and therefore is very deceiving.  We spent the first half a mile walking in the road and wondering why all the cyclists were whizzing past us.  London has me all screwed up as far as navigation goes.  It took me until yesterday to start looking the right way for cars in London, and now I'm looking the wrong way all over again.  Thankfully, the rest of Europe will be similar to Amsterdam.

After boarding a tram, we finally made it to the square.  Everyone dispersed to go get dinner.  Jared and I ate some sort of chicken kebob that was really delicious.  While we were walking around we also noticed that everyone had french fries.  Apparently, Amsterdam (or maybe Holland in general) is known for their french fries (called "Frites").  Basically, my visit to Amsterdam consisted of walking and eating.  I can't say that I mind either one.  After the hectic days in London it was nice to have a bit of a break.  Another early morning tomorrow.  Here we go!

Day 6: London

Today was our one entirely free day in London.  That is one of my favorite things about this trip.  We have ample time to spend touring and doing what we want.  I think that is the only way a trip like this works.  A big group of us got up fairly early to ride the underground to the Tower of London.  This was of the coolest things I have seen since being here.  It is a reminder of the old and somewhat gruesome period of British history.  We often think we have old portions of American history, but it has nothing on Britain.  The tower is also home to the crown jewels.  More than anything these are the representation of the great royal traditions that have been passed down for centuries.  They have little if any utility but are quite amazing to look at.  More gold is contained in that gallery than I have ever seen (and probably will ever own) in my whole life.  Across from the crown jewels is the tower itself, which is the home to an impressive collection of royal armor.  I saw the tallest suit of armor ever created for a human, standing 6'8".  The tower complex is located alongside the Thames River and gives fantastic views of the Tower Bridge.

From the tower, the group I was with made an unexpected trip back to St. Paul's Cathedral.  This time we paid to make the hike up to the dome.  This journey goes up tiny, winding staircases.  This is probably the realization of my biggest fear.  Ok, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but I do have a bit of a phobia of people walking behind me up stairs.  Any of my close friends would testify of that.  Many of them are thoughtful and try to let me go last.  Spiral staircases are the worst because I can hear people coming up behind me but can't see them.  Thankfully, the view from the top made the whole journey worth it.  The first stop is the Whispering Gallery, which is on the interior of the building.  The acoustics of the building are so good that you can whisper from one end of the dome and be heard perfectly at the other end.  From the Whispering Gallery, you move through one more outer view point before making your way up to the top.  The views from the top of the dome are absolutely spectacular.  A friend told me they rival the views from the London Eye.  You can see the entire city.  The climb to the top was definitely worth it.  After the climb, we moved down into the crypts.  This was kind of special experience because it gave a small glimpse at the sheer number of men and women who have given their lives in defense of the British crown.  They have a sense of nationalism that is almost deeper that that of the United States, especially when it comes to the World Wars.  I think this is because the wars actually happened here.  This makes it somewhat holy ground and increases my appreciation for the freedom and liberties we all enjoy.

After touring the Cathedral, I split off from the group.  I guess I really wasn't supposed to do this, but I don't think I had much of a choice.  The half of the group we left at the Tower of London was going on a tour of the Harry Potter Studios, and the half I was with was taking a ferry out to Greenwich.  Since I had not paid to do either (and I was going to Singin' in the Rain in the evening) I had to find something else to do.  Honestly, I didn't really mind.  I just took the Underground up to the British Museum.  The museum itself is so massive that there is no possible way to have seen everything in the short amount of time I was there.  I did walk through several cool exhibits about the history of clocks and watches, and the history of money, though.  In the latter exhibit, I saw a note for 50 billion of the currency of Zimbabwe.  I remember the guy at the Bank of England talking about Zimbabwe yesterday.  He said if you want to be a billionaire for a day just go to Zimbabwe.  Because of hyperinflation, it will only cost you about 50 cents.  I am glad we live somewhere with a stable currency.  I also saw some Mummies in the display on Ancient Egypt.  Probably the coolest thing, though, was an example of the Olympic Gold Medal.  We learned in our business visit that the Gold medals for the London Olympics are made from medal mined in the Kennecott Copper Mine in Utah.  I have been surprised there has not been a bigger hype about the Olympics here in London.  There are quite a few signs in places like the Subway, but other than that I have not seen much.  I hope to have more of that experience when I return to London in a month.

My last show on the West End (for now) was Singin' in the Rain.  I was probably the least excited for this one than all the rest just because I have seen it already (twice), and I found it ironic that we were going to a very American show in London.  They made some very unique staging choices that I thought contributed to the show.  They are subtle things that would be hard for me to explain to someone who has not seen the show before.  During the first act I could not decide if I was really in love with the leads.  They did not have British accents (thank goodness!).  I think that would have been a little too much.  Lina was funny, but maybe a little too over the top.  Kathy's voice kind of annoyed me, which is funny since she is supposed to be the one with the pretty voice.  Nevertheless, all of those things were washed away after the number Singin' in the Rain.  I was very curious to see how they would stage this number.  Every other production I have seen has used some sort of rain on the stage, but this one outdid them all.  The sprinkler system came on and absolutely doused the stage.  The middle part of the stage was sunk in, allowing the water to pool up.  This pool of water became an integral part of the choreography.  Don did the normal Gene Kelly dance routine up to a certain point, but then he started kicking the pooled up water out on to the audience.  We were sitting in the sixth row, which was about the end of the splash zone.  It was really exciting every time he kicked out in front of him.  As cool as that was, the highlight was the very end during the curtain call.  The sprinklers came back on and the entire cast came out in rain gear with silver umbrellas.  This time all of them were dancing and the water splashed even farther.  It was one of the most spectacular dance routines I have ever seen.  Everyone had their silver backed umbrella, and then seemingly in unison they spun around to reveal brilliant colors that literally lit up the stage.  They got a standing ovation from me for that number if for nothing else.  It was a little bit of theatrical magic.  Definitely worth the price we paid to see it.  The West End did not disappoint!

Day 5: London

The alarm came really early this morning, but not quite as early as it did for my roommate, Matt.  He heard my alarm vibrating at 3:50 am, the leftover from my early morning flight from Portland last week.  For some reason I though today was Tuesday and set the wrong alarm.  Sorry Matt!  No one else in our five person room heard it go off.

This morning started our business visit portion of the trip.  We began by visiting the Rio Tinto world headquarters.  This presentation was given by two expatriates on assignment from Utah.  I had a tough time staying awake during their presentation (oops!).  I caught more about being an expatriate than anything they presented about their business.  After being in London several days I think I could live here with a family.  Most expatriate assignments last about two years; it would be like taking the family on a mission.  The one recommendation they made was to start young.  It is much easier to bring children abrade when they are young, before they become really involved in school.

Our next visit was to the Bank of England.  This visit felt a little more international because our presenter was British.  (The Rio Tinto visit was very similar to the one we did in Salt Lake).  Yet again, I had a hard time staying awake.  I think that is a sign to me that I really need to get some sleep.  Anyways, I can only remember the randomest tidbits of what he said.  The Bank of England is responsible for printing all of the legal tender for the United Kingdom, which means only the British pound is officially recognized as currency.  Several other banks, particularly the Bank of Scotland, print and circulate their own currency.  He said we could accept the Scottish currency if we want it but it is not legal tender.  Then he leaned in to tell us a secret: it's not legal tender in Scotland either.  But don't tell the Scots that!  Another interesting fact is that the gold reserve for the UK is housed under the Bank of England.  They can only stack the gold to about knee level because the weight of the gold would break through the clay soil causing it to fall onto the Tube line directly below.  That would be an unfortunate incident.

After the business visit, we walked across the Thames River to the Globe Theatre.  There is not much to see from the outside, but it is cool to have been where Shakespeare's plays premiered.  We met a British man outside the theatre who was obsessed with San Diego.  We asked him to take our picture, and as soon as he heard our "accents" he started going off on San Diego.  I just had to laugh at some of the things he said.  "San Diego is the best city on the whole planet.  Nobody knows its there…not even the Americans!"  Well, I definitely know it's there, and it is the home of some fond memories.  The next stop was the Tate Gallery of Modern Art.  This is one of the finest galleries of Modern Art in the world.  Unfortunately, I have never gained much of an appreciation for Modern Art.  I don't think anyone anyone who was with me has either.  We found a room with little strips of paper for taking notes on the art and used them to have our own art contest.  The theme was sadness; each of us had a chance to put our modern art skills to the test to interpret the theme.  Mine was intended to be two fish (don't ask me why) but they ended up looking like a giraffe.  I think I like that interpretation better.  After the museum, we walked across the Thames River to St. Paul's Cathedral.  This is one of the most impressive structures I have ever seen.  I am amazed by the ornate architecture and intricate designs.  When you stand under the massive dome you realize just how big the universe really is and just how small you really are in the grand plan.  Paul, our director, told me that was the point of the Cathedral: to make one feel small before God.  Well, I guess it worked for me.  We participated in a prayer service while we were there.  Just as the service was beginning a whole bunch of missionaries walked in.  When we talked with them afterwards, we found out they were departing missionaries from the London mission who will be returning home this week.  It feels like we have run in to members of the Church everywhere we go not he trip.  The church really makes the world a whole lot smaller.

My highlight from today was being able to go to Les Miserables on the West End.  This is the longest running production of a musical ever; it has been my lifelong dream to see the show in London.  My seat was on the very back row of the balcony in the right hand corner.  At first I was a little disappointed, but then I realized what a blessing it was just to be there at all.  My view of the stage was slightly obstructed by the balcony, but once the show started this didn't really prove to be a problem.  The actor who played Jean Valjean was amazingly talented.  I found his performance to be both moving and believable.  His rendition of "Bring Him Home" was one of the most powerful theatrical moments I have ever experienced.  I love the message of the show: the simple truth that people can change and that we are not locked into one path we choose to follow at one time.  Inspector Javert to me represents the plan of the adversary.  He is convinced that Jean Valjean was, is, and always will be a thief, and that there is no hope for him to do or become anything else.  The role of the Savior, on the other hand, is portrayed by the Bishop, who not only saves Valjean from Javert after he robs him, but gives him even more with the charge to use his new found fortune to help someone else.  I believe that is what the Savior does for us.  He redeems us when we don't deserve it and gives us the means to bless other people's lives.  That becomes the quest of Jean Valjean, and he becomes the means of salvation for so many who are lost and wandering.  The overall production was spectacular.  All of the set pieces moved on their own, and the center portion of the stage revolved.  One of my favorite things about professional productions is the strength of the ensemble.  When they sing together they have the power, it seems, to bring down the walls.  "One Day More" was one number that was particularly powerful.  On the whole I loved the production, and feel extremely blessed to have been able to experience it.

Day 4: London

Church was a much needed experience this morning, even though I had a bit of a hard time staying awake.  We attended meetings in the historic Hyde Park Chapel, one of the first Chapels in England that also serves as a Visitor's Center and Mission Office.  I have a hard time knowing how big the ward is because there were so many visitors.  I walked in a little late and sat in front of the group in what I later found out was the bench for passing the Sacrament.  They recruited me and several other guys from the group to help with this.  I was impressed with the depth of the testimonies of the British Saints.  It is easy to tell that the Church is strong here in London.

After Church, we took the tube to Hyde Park for Family Home Evening.  Dr. Godfrey allowed us to change the day of FHE so we can go to Les Miserables tomorrow.  We met at Speaker's Corner where the first missionaries used to soap box when they first entered the country.  Many people still do this today, and we stopped to watch them on our way through the park.  Unfortunately, I missed almost all of FHE.  My friend Erica and I stepped away for what was supposed to be a three minute bathroom break at McDonalds.  When she came out of the bathroom she could not find her phone.  She scoured the bathroom and talked with the management, but no one had turned it in.  We retraced our steps, went back to McDonalds a second time, and talked with the security officer at the Tube stop.  She came away with a lot of friendly "I'll call you's" but no phone.  The stress of losing the phone almost made her physically sick.  I felt so sorry for her.  Luckily, Emily, our assistant director, let her use her phone to text her parents, which made her feel a little bit better.  Sadly, there is nothing we can do but wait to see if anyone calls.

Thankfully, she did not let the phone incident ruin the rest of her night.  I admire her for her determination to move forward and enjoy her time.  We went with Emily and her husband back to Buckingham Palace, then broke off and tried to see Trafalgar Square.  The West End Live festival was still happening, so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and went one stop farther on the tube.  That brought us to Leicester Square, the home of half-price theatre tickets.  We were all ready to buy tickets to a show, but we found out the West End is dark on Sunday evening.  Instead, we decided to go see Abbey Road.  This is kind of a cool spot.  The crosswalk itself is tiny, and if there had not been tons of people taking pictures, I probably would have never recognized it.  There is no traffic signal so you just have to wait for a lull in the traffic.  Then everyone takes turns running into the middle of the road and holding the pose before the next batch of cars whiz by.  It gives you kind of an adrenaline rush while you are standing there waiting to get your picture taken and you can see the traffic start moving towards you.  Definitely worth the it to go out there.  To finish out the evening we took a walk through Hyde Park.  The park takes up many acres of the middle of the city and gives people a place to relax by a manmade lake, play in the acres of greenery, and ride bikes down public trails.  Our little jaunt through the park did not show us much.  We saw Kensington Palace (something I want to go back to), and an impressive statue of Prince Albert.  We really know how to pack things in on this trip.  I feel exhausted and am ready to go to bed.

Day 3: London

Day 3 of the trip brought the jet lag effects that seemed to be absent yesterday.  That's probably because i didn't sleep very well last night.  Several of the group were at breakfast when I came downstairs.  I didn't even realize any of them were here.  I met Paul at the desk when I was about to leave on my own, and he invited me to take a bus tour with him and his family.  The bus was a traditional double decker bus that gave fantastic views of the city.  London is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited.  The city is clean and has good mix of history alongside that which is modern.  Sometimes, in the case of almost every department store, the two are mixed perfectly together.  The views from the bus were astounding.  I think I could just wander the streets of London for hours just looking at the architecture of the buildings.  London has a very distinct look that reminds me of lots of the movies I saw growing up. Being here almost feels like being in a whole different world.  Our bus tour is a sweet deal because we can get off and on as much as we want as we go around the city.  Paul really wanted to get off and and see Baker Street, the fictional home of Sherlock Holmes.


Our next stop was Trafalgar Square.  They were having a festival called West End Live where all the musicals from the West End were giving a free performance in the park.  The place was packed!  The only musical I got to see was Blood Brothers, something I know little about but that has been playing on the West End for more than 20 years.  There were so many people on the square that it was difficult to see or hear anything.  I decided to go on an adventure and ended up walking across the River Thames to the London Eye.  From there I could see Big Ben and the Parliament Building. This is one of the most beautiful structures I have ever seen, with its ornate architecture and breathtaking heights.  I feel as though I have now seen one of the wonders of the world.

Across the street is Westminster Abbey, equally as beautiful.  Outside the Abbey I ran into a group of students from the program.  We caught the Tube to Kings Cross station to go on a Harry Potter hunt for platform 9 and 3/4.  We were so excited (and maybe carried away in the tourist mentality) that we used our Oyster cards to actually enter the train station.  It was not until after we got through that we realized the platform was outside the actual station.  The platform is not actually a platform.  It is a little section of the wall with a sign and a cart sticking out.  I was a little disappointed that we travelled all that way just to see that, but I guess it is all just a part of the adventure.

Next, we met the group in the hotel lobby to walk to dinner at a nearby English pub.  In England, pub is the word for a restaurant and tavern is the word for bar.  This was the official start of the trip.  I initiated my study abroad by eating a British meat pie which I thought was delicious!  Most everyone else was extremely jet lagged but I was able to convince several to come back with me to see some more of the sights.  The only new thing I saw was Buckingham Palace (which was so cool) and Piccadilly Circus (a scaled down version of Times Square).  I think Piccadilly might be one of my new favorite words.  It is a lot of fun to say.  By the time we got back to the hotel I was absolutely exhausted.  I have never been so excited to hit my pillow.  It has been a very long week!

Day 2: London

I woke up as the pilot announced we were arriving in Germany.  Even through the grogginess I could feel the excitement.  This was the first moment when everything started to feel really, although I was still kind of in a daze.  My first instinct was to lean over and try to get a glimpse of the landscape.  I could see the tops of some houses as we bounced in and out of the fluffy white clouds.  When the wheels touched the ground I was officially in Dusseldorf and my European adventure had begun.  The airport was not much different from an American airport, although all of the signs were in German as well as English.  I barely had time to make my next flight.  By the time I had my passport stamped twice and ran to the other side of the airport, I had not time to change my clothes or get ready at all.  We had to take some stairs down out of the airport terminal and then catch a bus that took us to the actual plane.  The flight was tiny.  They did not even have enough room for my tiny carry-on bag.  I feel bad for the person who sat next to me.  I think I slept the whole way even though I was not planning on sleeping at all.  I woke up as we were touching down in London.  The flight itself took no time at all.  This time we walked to an airport shuttle that took us to the main terminal.  From there I entered the passport line to enter the UK border.  This was one of the longest lines I have ever stood in and it moved extremely slowly.  I stood in the line for over two hours; thankfully, I had no problem getting through the checkpoint.  I just had to tell the guard I was a student there on vacation (see, it is official!) and give him a definite date for leaving the country.  When he heard I was only going to be here for five days before heading to Amsterdam I guess he figured I would be their problem and let me go.

After making it through the airport I had to figure out which bus to take to get to the subway station to get to my hotel.  I found the cheapest one and made my way outside the airport terminal.  The cheapest bus also had the longest line.  I missed the first one waiting in line and thought I was going to miss the second one, but barely made it on.  By that point I only had several hours before I was supposed to be at Wicked, and not knowing how long it would really take me to get to my hotel, I was feeling a little bit concerned.  It didn't help that the bus driver got in an argument with a woman who tried to ride with her daughter sitting on her lap.  They went back and forth for several minutes before she conceded and got off the bus.  This resulted in a lecture from the bus driver about safety rules on the bus.  Welcome to Britain!  The bus took me to what must be one of the busiest Subway stations in London.  There were people everywhere!  I felt really out of place with all my luggage.  Thankfully, the Subway (or The Tube/Underground as they call it in Britain) is fairly easy to to navigate and my hotel was only a few stops away.  My hotel room is like a little hole in the wall (definitely not what I expected for the price I payed).  It consists of a bed, a sink, a little desk, and something that looks like a little coat closet.  I share a communal bathroom with everyone on my floor.  Thankfully, I haven't seen anyone else since I got here, so it is kind of like I got my own bathroom.  The very first thing I wanted to do when I got to the hotel was take a shower.  I felt gross!

By the time I got ready, it was time to adventure out to find the theatre for Wicked.  I have to leave the key to my hotel room at the desk any time I leave.  I'm not quite sure how I feel about this yet.  On one hand it is nice not to have to worry about losing the key out and about, but on the other hand it makes me feel really vulnerable because someone else has total access to my things.  I guess I don't have much of a choice, though.  The theatre for Wicked is near the station where I first boarded the Tube.  My seat was down on the floor, the left hand side, second row of the second section.  I had a fantastic view.  This is the biggest show I have seen since my mission and the butterflies of excitement started fluttering as the house lights dimmed and the orchestra began to play.  Wicked is even better than I remember from five years ago.  The leads were absolutely phenomenal (and their British accents only bothered me a little bit).  The girl who played Elphaba could sing like almost no one else I have ver heard.  I don't think you can teach people like to sing like that; it is a talent someone must be born with.   The number Defying Gravity never ceases to give me chills.  It is one of those moments that few words can describe.  Everyone should experience it.  The other stand out number in this production was "No Good Deed."  The closing notes gave me similar chills.  There were only several things about it that I did not like as much as the production I saw in Portland.  Elphaba's entrance was more exciting in that production.  That is probably the only thing I would change.  What a great welcome to London!  After the show, I went to the stage door and met the actresses.  They were so gracious and kind.  I think that is what I love about the theater.  You have people who are incredibly talented but not tainted by fame.  This trip has been amazing so far.  I can't wait to see what will come next!

Me with Glinda

Me with Elphaba

Day 1: New York City

I slept all night on my flight to New York City.  I honestly don't remember a single thing about it.  We landed at JFK with 15 hours to go before my next flight.  My first task was to pick up my luggage and find the ticket counter for the next flight so I could check it back in.  Finding the luggage was not too hard; finding someone who knew the terminal for my next flight was a different story.  It probably would have helped if I had been looking for the right airline the whole time.  I figured it out before I went to the wrong terminal, but not before I told Uncle Dan and Aunt Mary where to meet me.  Since it is probably easier for me to find my way around than for them, I decided to run to my terminal and than to meet them at the one I had told them.  When I got to the terminal listed for my airline, I could not find the ticket counter.  I quickly learned they do not start checking passengers in until 2:00 pm.  That pretty much means I ran all the way over there for nothing.
Uncle Dan and Aunt Mary picked me up at the airport and took me to breakfast at McDonalds.  They are currently serving in the New York New York South Mission.  Uncle Dan is in charge of all of the vehicles, and Aunt Mary works with all the referrals.  They live in a little house right behind the mission office and let me store my bags there.  These accommodations worked perfectly because their apartment was actually on my subway ride back to the airport.  We took a tour of the mission office before I left to catch the subway and meet up with Kylie.

It felt so nice to be back in New York.  I don't know what it is about the city, but it does something magical for me.  From the subways, to the skyscrapers, to the hustle and bustle of people all around, I love it all!  Kylie and I met up at the new memorial 9/11 memorial on the site of the former World Trade Center.  Massive fountains have been constructed in the footprint of each tower.  Water cascades down the side into what looks like a bottomless hole.  The fact that you can't see the bottom makes it very symbolic.  It represents the fact that we will never forget the victims of that fateful day.  I am glad they finally decided to do something on the site.    When I visited four years ago it was little more than a hole in the ground.  To me, the new memorial shows that as a nation we are able to move forward with hope and faith.  They are building several new buildings on the site that look fantastic, but I am glad that they are not rebuilding over the imprints of the former towers.  Visiting that site is like visiting holy ground.  I am grateful to the men and women who lost their lives on that fateful day, and I will never forget it or the days and events surrounding it.

Kylie and I had a fantastic day taking the subway all up and down Manhattan.  Within a few short hours I think we saw nearly every major tourist attraction.  After the World Trade Center, we visited the Empire State Building, followed by lunch in Little Italy.  Our next stop was the Staten Island Ferry.  This was something I did not do my first time in New York.  The ferry is about a 20 minute ride from the South tip of Manhattan to Staten Island, and gives great views of The Statue of Liberty, Manhattan, and the Brooklyn Bridge.  The best thing is that it's free!  Maybe one of New York's best kept secrets.  Of course, we saved the best for last: Times Square!  This is where the New York magic is at its finest for me.  I just love being there and being a part of everything that is going on.  Kylie was a fantastic hostess.  I think she shares a lot of my same feelings about the city, and is starting to seem like a local herself.  I plan on being back in the city to stay at some point, if only for a while.

By 5:30 it was time for me to head back to the airport.  After a quick pitstop in Queens to pick up my luggage, a ride on the subway, and finally the airport shuttle, I was back at the JFK ticket counter.  This time, the ticket agents were all there.  I felt so official when they asked to see my passport.  Notwithstanding all of that, it does not feel quite real yet.  The very last experience I had before leaving the country was a real special one.  Mom called to say Justin's new mission call had arrived.  Since I had about 15 minutes before my flight I stayed on the line to hear him open it.  He has been called to the FLORIDA FORT LAUDERDALE MISSION, Spanish speaking!!  I think I was a little too tired for the shock to even register.  I had thought to myself about the possibility of him being called to my mission, but I never believed it would actually happen.  I immediately began to think of all the families that I taught, and people I left behind, and became very excited for him to be able to continue the work I started while I was there.  He is going to the greatest mission in all the land!  Now his mission is going to mean a whole lot more to me because it while be so intricately intertwined with mine.  I'm excited!