Vacation complete!

Va·ca·tion: an extended period of recreation, especially one spent away from home or traveling. By definition, going to school doesn’t count as vacation. Yes, I traveled to Cambridge and I was away from home, but it was more like an academic Beast, with class attendance, reading, researching and writing, scholarly activities that kept me fully engaged. Despite the hard work, there are many things about the seven weeks that I am grateful for:

Opportunities to experience campus and Cambridge
Immersion in research–learning about Flannery O’Connor and Gothic fiction
Access to libraries and museums
Turkey sightings
Interesting places to walk, as well as the ability to walk to classes and the train
A view of the Charles River, sunsets and sunrises from my 15th floor apartment
Visits from my husband, and his willingness to drive me there and back
Visits with Jane, my friend and co-blogger
Having dinner with Eileen, a friend from high school whom I hadn’t seen in years
Having a bike to ride and finding paths and streets for safer riding
Realizing how little I need for a comfortable existence
Meeting classmates and professors