I think I made it

While I wait for the dough for cinnamon rolls to rise (I love living in an apartment), I might as well jot down some thoughts and experiences from the past two weeks.

Well I made it back a week ago tomorrow after a few little flight-related hickups due to snow. And, as I had somewhat predicted, it's good to be back. It's actually better than I expected.

As soon as I got back, I was re-launched right back into orientation life, something that has become such a large part of my gordon life that I can't really imagine being here without it. Surrounding myself with a friendly, excited community of friends was probably the best way for me to hop back into life here. Besides orienting 20-ish transfer students to the school and the area, I was laso re-orienting myself to the same things. Those few days were a perfect intermission between two worlds.

Seeing peers, professors, and Gordon staff over these past two weeks has just proven to me over and over again why this is the place I need to be right now. It's hard to describe that feeling of just knowing that something is right, but that's how it feels to be back. Getting back into Gordon mode has been much easier than transfering into home mode just a few months ago. The atmosphere is so welcoming and friendly that it makes me feel warm and comfortable almost anywhere I go on campus. People here are such a contrast to the unfriendly secretary that didn't care at all about my problems at the University in Basel. They actually care about their students' wellbeing!

I experienced this beautiful welcome back and expression of excitement from the Education Department when I went in to have some forms signed the other day:
I knocked on my advisor's door, who I only met just a few days ago, but have come to appreciate so much already, and who also happened to be out of her office that day. So, I headed on down to the wonderful and seemingly all-knowing administrative assistant, who promptly jumped up with a huge smile and welcomed me back with a big hug: "Welcome back! It's so good too see you! We missed you!" After talking for a while about being away and coming back, etc. I popped down to another professor's office, who could sign the afore mentioned papers for me in my advisor's place. She, too, is one of the sweetest women in the department and welcomed me back with similar words and was sincerely interested in how things were going and how I was doing.

You don't get this kind of treatment just anywhere. It's mind-boggeling! This is a very special place. I am so blessed to be a part of it. To be able to learn here. To build friendships that last across oceans and states. To be a part of something bigger than myself. This is where I'm meant to be. This is home.