There’s a certain feeling about coming home from a place. A sense of sadness and happiness combined. For me there was no greater time that I experienced this feeling than when I returned from Antarctica where I can say my life truly changed. It might have taken me months to recover from that with such intense moments of sadness and such intense moments of happiness that I hardly knew how to tell the difference between the two.

Summer camp was the same for me. One solid week of intensity that included new friends, constant activity, and experiences completely new to me. Returning home I mourned everything that didn’t involve my camp experience. The intensity seemed to ruin me for my current life, at least for a time.

Returning from this trip to Germany has had an opposite effect. While I do feel a sense of sadness that it’s over, I am more energized and invigorated than ever about my current place in the company I work for. It was such an intense bonding experience. I bonded to colleagues and I bonded to the company itself. Seeing everything in the big picture helped me see my place here and realize its value! I begin this week energized and invigorated like never before. And upon returning from this trip, I am happy.