This was the third part of the Brownie summer in Europe. Following some time in Athens, and our visit to Paros, we all returned to the apartment in Athens for a few more nights... and then departed the next day for Rotterdam! Our day in transit allowed time to Avi to work out the hosting situation at her university residence hall where, the lot of us, were going to spend the next six nights! It turns out, students are well situated in the walking district of the downtown of Rotterdam, nestled in between the City Hall and the shopping district, surrounded by cafes and places to eat and only a stone's throw away from shopping, shopping and more shopping!
Avi's first attempt at hosting a large group went beautifully! She dealt with the pressure of multiple needs and wants, organizing the movement of people in and out of the building and was able to balance her family life with a bit of her personal life as our collective experiences crossed those of her friends from time to time. She was also able to show the family her new apartment~ her first chapter as a full-fledged independent adult!
The visit was part shopping, lots of eating, a good deal of walking (and trams/metro) and some sightseeing to boot. Add to that the mosey to the fruit market, the visit to the university and her favorite coffee shop, the cafes and the parks and it was a pretty good overview of what the city has to offer! Apart from a day where our Irini was sick (and stayed in the room with daddy) the rest of the trip was a good opportunity to share family time (now shared by Adri who also came to visit for this leg of the trip!) along with finding space to see the city.
It was also a chance for us to reunite with old friends. Though only for a couple hours, our time spent with Paz and her husband was well-appreciated as well. Paz took notes on the types of professional positions that might entice us to move to Holland one day. Who knows? We have been around the world enough to know that flexibility is key. And so, why not Holland one day? Certainly the summers, the family and friends there would make it an agreeable option.
As we departed - all in the airport simultaneously trying to say goodbye and check in to various flights - we were once again reminded of the power of love and the positives of family. We will miss you all and send love to Holland, to Colombia, to Malaysia, to Italy... in all directions! Thank you, Avi (and all) for showing us 'your town' and for being such a gracious and wonderful host!
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