Overstimulation.

Let me just start by saying that I am loving absolutely every second of this Study Abroad. I love the people, I love the places, I love everything. This is the reason why the phrase "It's the best!" has become so readily used at every turn. People keep scoffing at me and being skeptical: "Oh really Erica? This church is the best? I thought you said the last church was the best. They can't both be the best."
Yes they can. Don't be rude
Here are some things that I have said are the best over the past week:
1. Dublin
2. London
3. The rain in Wales
4. My mom
5. My dad
6. Wesley Holley
7. My shoes
8. Ryan Miller
9. Dr. Pepper
10. The Beatles
11. Any movie the Beatles are in.
12. My family
13. Every other thing ever.

This list goes on for days. Obviously. Because I've been making it for days.

On another note, I have been getting mad exhausted lately. Too too too much is going on and I was starting to get the grumpies. I like that word. Grumpies. I don't like that attitude though. Because then I was not having as good of a time as I should have been having, and that's just pointless, isn't it? So I stopped. Here's how:

Well, first of all. I told myself to stop. And when that didn't work...
I had lunch with Katelyn. That sounds so simple and yet it was the nice breather that I need to recharge my batteries and be ready and willing to do anything and everything that I was asked. It's like how I kept not being able to charge my camera battery, so I had to take less and less pictures every day so it wouldn't run out. Then even when I wanted to charge it, I only had one adapter, so I would have to rotate between my camera and computer. So it never quite got back to its full self and I would be running it around everywhere again. I am a camera battery.

But anyway, this lunch. Think of this. I'm sitting in Cambridge (not the campus but nearby) at an adorable outdoor Italian cafe. Oh man. I'm sitting there eating some heavenly lasagna for a pretty awesome price, and the owner of the restaurant is out there chatting with customers and making everyone feel welcome. There is a street performer in the square filling the gaps between the hustle and bustle of shoppers going by. This is the perfect atmosphere. We order our dessert. Katelyn goes for the Coconut Sorbet (yes, please!) and I get a cake that uses the word "chocolate" at least 6 times in its description. mmmmmmm

There is no rush. They aren't hurrying us through our meal so they can seat a more expensive lunch like they might in the US. They give us time to breathe and relax and just envelop ourselves in this moment. The owner talks to us for a bit and he was so charming. I asked him how many languages he speaks and he wonders if I am from immigration. Funny guy. He speaks French, Italian, English, Spanish and Arabic. He can also speak in an Italian accent. I was fascinated.

It was perfection. I am recharged.

Also, this happened today:



Pretty much a dream come true. Of course it's the summer, so nobody was there. But still, the campus was lovely. Hagrid says hi.