Beginning the Journey

I am traveling throughout Europe this semester on a study abroad program through Baylor University. While taking classes we will be staying in Maastricht, Netherlands. Maastricht is in the southern portion of the Netherlands. It is only 30 minutes from Belgium, close to Germany, and even closer to France.

The journey began Sunday afternoon with Mom, Dad, and Kelsi treating me to a lovely steak lunch at Outback. While patiently waiting for our food to arrive, Kelsi pulled out a ziploc bag stuffed with letters written by each of them. Every letter was marked on the outside with who it was written by and when the letter is suppossed to be read. Thank you Dad, Mom, and Kelsi! Those sweet loving words will get me through the days I miss yall the most. I love you all so dearly! Yes, especially all of you (family and friends) who are keeping me and my fellow classmates/ travel buddies in your prayers.

We arrived at DFW (finally parking the truck after a few loopty loops) and randomly saw an old friend who flies for Continental. Of course we stopped to say hello for a second and baffled at how funny life can be. This reminds me, maybe I'll see someone I know from Granbury just to keep that Cathey tab running of seeing people we know every where we go. :)

Passed security with a breeze. My laptop unfortunately took a beating when I attempted to force it back into my already too full backpack. A couple bounces later, I am happy to report that all is well! The flight from DFW to Houston was needless to say quite short. The man I was lucky enough to sit by was a world traveler himself. He had so much useful knowledge to share about the world. Mom and Dad how does Buenos Aires, Argentina sound for a future family adventure?

Never having been in the Houston airport that was also a mini-adventure. After a twenty minute walk, I saw Amanda coming towards me! We had a good hour to sit and catch up. (We haven't seen each other in a week.) Little did we know, there would be a hour to sit on the taxiway while the back cabin door was being repaired. Thinking sleep would come easy after taking sleeping pills my assumption was completely incorrect. Collectively I slept 3 hours. I sure do appreciate those in-flight movies.

After a long day (or two) in planes and buses, the dorm room bed is looking all the more welcoming. Once off the plane, a bus was waiting for us and all of the luggage. The countryside was beautiful; unfortunately lack of sleep caught up with me after 30 minutes.

I am some what settled into my dorm room that will be home these next three months. Two Maastricht University students led us clueless Baylor students to the mall which holds the local grocery store. The "short walk" was fifteen minutes. It is looking like I will be in great shape come April! While in the grocery store Amanda (my roommate) would ask me what the products were. After a couple of "I think that laundry detergent," my famous comment of the night was "I'm illiterate in this country." Due to jetlag that statement was much funnier to us than any of you may think. Amanda is a blessing and going to be a joy to be with all day every day for the next 3 months.

A "short walk" back to the Guest House (the dorm we reside in) Amanda and I get ourselves situated and successfully achieve internet access. After a struggle with skype, webcams, and jetlag I am beyond exhaustion. Here is to tonight and the beginning of another chapter of my life.

A Daughter of the King,
Kaitlyn