Well its amazing that so much time has past by since I wrote my last blog before i left June 23rd. My fun filled summer flew by quicker than I could have expected, but I was able to do a lot of things with friends and family. The first big experience i had back home besides seeing my family which was amazing, but it was also getting to drive my truck. After driving a scooter for almost 10 months i forgot how much i took it for granted of the peacefulness of driving and listening to music without scooters or people trying to run you over the whole time. I loved driving to see friends and my nanny and gramma or just to run errands like getting milk and ice cream from the dairy.
After hanging around and visiting old friends for a month, my friend Toni from Italy who i have mentioned many times before came to visit me for a month. It was his first trip to the States so I felt i had to show him an awesome time. I picked him up in Charlotte where we went straight to meet Alex's family at his dads restaurant 131 Main. I have to say Toni's first meal in the US was amazing. After two days in charlotte we drove to Mrytle Beach, SC to meet up with Brant who I grew up with. We stayed the weekend in Ocean Lakes taking Toni around to some great spots. Then it was back to NC to take him to my home to finally meet my family. He got a big warm welcome and a nice country style dinner. Everyone seemed to enjoy having Toni around and he came to visit just in time for my 23rd Bday. I gathered some friends up and went out to a bar for the night where it was dollar beers and that pretty much explains that night ;). After showing Toni around my home for a few days, the family took a trip up to Delaware to meet up with Barb and Frank and the kids for 5 days at the beach house. With jet skis, crabs almost everyday, and the beach, it made for a great visit which i hope to do again next year. From Delaware, the family made it up to Maryland to visit with Nick, Kim, and the rest of the gang. Toni still felt that Conner was the funniest one out of everyone he met here with his wild random stories and hyper personality. We all enjoyed the trip downtown to the Harbor and the Bar where we played some games and enjoyed a nice dinner. Toni and I also got to see O.A.R. in concert with Amanda, little Nick, and amanda's b/f peter. I loved it, but not sure if that was Toni's taste of music.
From Maryland, Toni and I split up from the family and took a bus to NYC for a 6 night stay in a hostel which turned out very nice and only $50 a night where most hotels are around 1-200+$. We never went to any plays or fancy dinners since i was on a budget and we really didn't care for those things anyways. I am not sure how many miles we ended up walking, but we so most of the major scenic or tourist spots around taking pictures, but never entering in since they were all around $20 or more.
By the 4th and 5th day, we could both tell we were ready to leave NY, but before we did I was able to meet my friend Sander (from estonia) sister who was working in NY for the summer. She was really nice and fun to hang out with. Toni was also able to meet with a friend from his region in Italy who was working there this summer and I think it was good for him to hang out with her since he could speak his on language and dialect with her to feel a bit closer to home.
So from NYC we took a bus to Maryland to meet back up with Brant and his friend Samatha who he goes to school with. She lives just outside Washington D.C. which was our next day's destination. Unfortunately Sam had the flu bad and had to go to the hospital the next day, but her mom and dad were extremely nice to us and took us to dinner and made breakfast while letting us stay in their home. We took the metro into DC and walked around the Smithsonian, to the white house, washington monument, Lincoln memorial, and my favorite was arlington, but was not able to find my Grampa Al's grave. It was really amazing to see our nations capitol since last time i was there I was in 8th grade and did not really understand the meaning of everything. Im glad we made the trip and the next day we had a long drive back to NC where we hit some bad traffic, but made it eventually. Toni's trip was up and I drove him back to Charlotte and stayed with Alex a night and then drove to Greenville, SC to see my cousin Nicole and her husband Brandon and two beautiful baby girls Ella (2) and Allie (4months at that time) It was the first time i met allie and I fell in love quick and also loved watching movies with Ella and helping babysit to give Nic and Brandon a little break. It was a great weekend, but I was ready to get back home and spend my last week and a half back home working around the house cutting up trees and having a big bonfire. The weekend before I left for Taiwan I made one more trip to ECU to watch App state play them in football and spend time with my lil sis jessica cole and then getting to see Brant and Sam again. App lost 29-24 but it was a great game and a fun last weekend.
So coming back here was yet again a long trip like always, but this time my friend Alex came back with me to spend 2 weeks in Taiwan to see how I live here and what its like on the other side of the world. I tried to show him as much as i could and what he wanted to do. We went to a baseball game and a few different cities, but I think his favorite part was the food. The Jet lag stuck with us for a week or so which kept us from wanting to go to far, but overall it was great and I had fun hosting him around here and letting him meet my sweet heart Nina ;).
Well I started school back and I have a lot of catching up to do on my thesis. So far I know its going to be something about internal services, but thats about it for now. I have a lot of reading to do and more and more research. It feels great to get back here and see my friends I made over the last year who i grew so close with. I hope this year doesn't go by to fast, but im sure like always time fly's by. Thanks again for whoever reads my blogs. Leave any comments or questions you may have or something you want to hear more of.
Love Always,
Logan
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