The week I learned how much I missed my mom

Emily, Katie, Madeline and I got back to Bonn during the early hours of the morning. I was happy to be able sleep in my own bed again. I slept for a few hours before I woke madeline up to meet my mom and her friend for breakfast. I was really lucky to have both my parents visit during my time in Germany. My parents and I have grown really close as I have aged. The minute I mentioned the idea of studying abroad, the both flooded me with support and promised they would visit. Madeline and I got off the tram and met her at her hotel. My heart leapt with excitement when I saw her open the hotel door. We walked to a restaurant for breakfast where we talked about everything that had happened over the months we were apart.

Monday was my birthday. Luckily we had an excursion to Bingen that day, so I did not have to spend the day in the classroom. I really enjoyed the excursion to Bingen. I learned a lot about Hildegard and how she developed herbal medicinal practices. I found it really interesting to look at the drawings of her visions. They stood out to me because they were so different from art during her time. They were rich in color and took on a psychedelic aura. After the museums tour we had a lunch at a restaurant along the rhine. It was a great way to spend my birthday. Afterwards I met up with my mom and we had a nice dinner at Tao before I went home to study for my 211 exam.

It was really difficult to balance my moms visit, my birthday, and school at the same time. Since my revelation at the uniklinik, I was becoming more serious about switching my major. Due to this, my priorities were heavily shifted toward spending time with my mom. I felt guilty at first for not devoting more time towards my schoolwork but spending time with my mom in Germany was a once in  a lifetime experience. During this week I was able to show her around both Bonn and Cologne. We explored different restaurants, shops, cafes, and museums in each.

I was really sad to see her go on Saturday. I could see that she was struggling just as much with leaving me in Germany. I had to reassure her that it was only a few weeks until I was back in the States.