Coming home to go home? Isn’t that a little bit strange? Well no, not at all. Guess what I have been back in my favourite city with my favourite people and it was amazing. And I am missing it already! Just grab a cup of hot chocolate and a snack because it is going to be a long one!

But first things first on 26 December,2016 I wrote my last blog so you guys need a little update on my not so interesting life. I moved as some of you may well know by now. I didn’t move away too the next city but I moved across the country all the way to Drenthe. Sounds pretty far but it is just a 1hour and 20min drive. So feel free to stop by. I can hear you all thinking what is she doing in Drenthe? Well I am a student again, and not just a student but an international student. I am following the course International teaching education for primary schools. And till now I am really enjoying it, I had my first teaching practice 2 weeks ago at a school in The Hague, where I will return in the end of November for 3 weeks. I actually cannot wait to start the real deal in front of a classroom. If you want more information about this just let me know. Let’s get started with the better half of this story.

4 friends, 2 tour guides, 1 destination and the best host family that will host 4 girls. Welcome in New York City or too ruin dreams Westfield, New Jersey and what felt it good to be back! It felt like coming home again, it felt like when I got back from America and you walk around your house, your street and your city. Everything feels the same and looks the same.

The adventure started in Amsterdam everything went smooth we spend too much time in line and walked kilometres after security check ‘Welcome at Schiphol’. We flew from Amsterdam to Toronto and from Toronto to Newark. I saw beautiful views from up in the sky and I could even catch a glimpse of Toronto’s beautiful waterfall the Niagara Falls. From having a laugh with a flight attended to making an attempt for doing my homework, and not to forget eat all the candy we brought. We finally arrived in Newark at 5.30 pm local time. Getting our rental car for the week and off we were to Westfield. When we arrived it was already dark but we came home to a Oktoberfest party. Irene and Iris if you are reading this they still have bratwurst and spätzle. At first I thought should I ring the doorbell or should I just walk in. What if that is rude but then it was Monique come on you lived there for a year, it is practical your second home and they won’t hear the doorbell if there is a party going on anyway so we just walked in, everybody was standing outside so I could surprise hug my host mom, it was so lovely too see her again but also to see my host dad again.  I kept thinking it feels so good to be back. After the reuniting and introducing everybody we went inside so I could give my friends a grand tour of the house. It is so nice showing people where you have spent your year, they can finally understand what I was talking about all those times on skype. After the tour we went to get our stuff and we had a lovely German meal outside. During the meal there were more people coming in, my host mom sister and parents arrived. It was so lovely to see them again as well. We had little chitchat and after a while it got cold so we moved inside to be greeted by loud men that where watching Baseball if I am correct. During the game Brendan came home and it was so good to see him again he didn’t changed a bit, still the cute little cheeky boy that I had left 1 year ago. On the other hand when Jack came home I was shocked. Jack has grown so much, he is taller than me now and his voice got a little bit lower. But he is still my cute little Panda. After a while the jetlag kicked in and we needed sleep and a lot too but as you can guess I was awake by 6 in the morning like all of us. We just chilled in bed had breakfast in our PJ’s, chatted with my host parents and went back up to get changed. In the meanwhile my host mom was going to pick up Alexandra and I was so excited to see her again. She didn’t change a bit, well she did cut her hair shorter and she looks a little bit more mature now but it is still the same Alex.

Fun fact of that day: We looked fancy, even though we were all just wearing normal clothes. Jeans with a T-shirt, Skirt with a T-shirt. And just normal everyday make-up. The first question we got when we got downstairs was if we we’re going out to a club? Uhh no this is how we dress in normal life as well. Just wait until we dress up when we are going out. It is so much fun to keep seeing the difference. But it also really nice that my friends could experience that.

The first real day in downtown Westfield and area. (22 October 2017)

After getting ready we made our way downtown Westfield and how can you possibly start your day in Westfield without going to Starbucks. Well yes not. So that is what we did, we ordered a drink and we sat outside because the weather was beyond beautiful. After our kickstart at Starbucks it was time to give them a tour around Westfield, from Victoria secret, to Frozen Yoghurt to Carlo’s Bakery I have showed them all. After the grand tour of Westfield it was finally time to show them my all-time favourite store TTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAARGET. (try to pronounce it like that). No joke we spent at least 2,5 hours in target and I have enjoyed every second of it. As well as how much I enjoyed my snackmix. After target we went to DWS and OLD NAVY, after that we drove the crazy route 22 to Olive Garden. Jammmmie. We did end the day quite early because we all we’re worn out.

I like to end this blog right here and right now because I don’t think you guys will appreciate a blog that is as long as the Empire State building, I promise I will be back with a part 2 of this amazing week with more adventure and more stories about my fab time in NYC.

Until next time.

Lots of Love

Mo

You only live once, but if you do it right,once is enough!