Living in limbo…

Hey everyone! I know it has been a really long time since I (this is Brittney) have posted anything, so I thought I better do one last post before we leave…I really don’t know where the last nine months have gone, and I definitely can’t believe that we will be back in Nebraska in just one week! I am so excited to see family and friends and I won’t even begin with the list of things I will be happy to have in my life once again:) However, our fast approaching departure has led to a lot of reflection and evoked a variety of conflicting emotions in me. Which is the reason for the title of my post. For the last month, I have felt like my life is in limbo. I can’t be completely excited about returning to the States, because there is so much that I will miss in Latvia. Yet, I can’t fully embrace what time we have left here either, because I know we are leaving and I get really emotional just thinking about it. My heart literally feels like it is being torn in two, because part of me is ready to be back in the U.S., but the other part of me is not ready to leave this life. I’m so grateful for the opportunity that we were given to live in another country and experience a different culture. It has been an amazing journey and my life will forever be changed by the people we have met, stories we have heard, and experiences we’ve shared, which is why I am so sad to leave. We have met some amazing people who have openly welcomed us into their lives, and have largely influenced our overall experience here, and for that, we will never be able to fully express our gratitude. I know that we will be back in Europe again, but people and places change; therefore, this experience can never be replicated. Our lives here have been wonderful! Jordan and I work hard at what we do, so it has been nice to relax and really enjoy life together here. Living here has made us realize pretty quickly what we take for granted in life and the things that really matter to us. There are just so many things that I want to wrap-up and bring back to the U.S. to help you all understand why it is that we love Riga. The everyday experiences such as walking everywhere, choosing which of the dozens of cafés to frequent, strolling in the parks, seeing all of the flowers sold on the street corners, going to the market to get groceries for supper, listening to the locals speak the musical Latvian language, never getting accustomed to seeing Eastern European fashion, eating fresh, local foods, looking up at the indescribable, blue sky, the list is endless…It’s just a different life, and I will miss it dearly. However, that doesn’t even include the gems that are here: the central market, where your senses are overwhelmed and you can literally find and buy anything; the Baltic Sea, which is so calming and refreshing to walk along; Latvians’ deep-seated love of nature and music, which is reflected in so much of their traditions; our favorite café, Rigensis, which has the best honey, carrot, and dark chocolate cakes; the beautiful architecture that you can look at every day and yet always find something new that you didn’t see before; Old Riga, which is so picturesque with its winding, narrow, cobblestone streets, little shops, and beautiful churches. Really, the list is never-ending. It is impossible to sum up our experience, but I hope that our blog has given you a window into our lives and that you all have been able to at least get a sense of what a great place Riga, and Latvia for that matter, is. I am so glad that you all have visited and enjoyed our blog. Until our next big adventure…