My final post (for now)

The view from my window at Whitney's Mum's house


I’ve been in England for three-and-a-half weeks, yet it feels like I still haven’t arrived.

Two days after landing I picked up a mystery illness/condition, meaning I’ve hardly left the house so far. I still hasn’t been diagnosed, which is frustrating, considering that I’ve had four blood tests, a chest x-ray, a heart scan, blood sugar tests, ECGs, and have to undergo even more tests in a couple of days.

I’ve seen/spoken to five doctors, none of whom can ‘figure me out’. One suggested I had a bad diet, which is laughable; one was concerned that I may have a blood clot, which came back negative; one thought I might have a heart problem, which is – at present – negative; one even suggested that I may be suffering from stress. “You are a mystery” has been the official diagnosis thus far.

So since arriving back in England I’ve done nothing but rest, watch junk on tv, and re-discover Super Mario - it’s like I never left university.

One thing I have been able to do - with all this free time - is reflect on my summer in North Dakota. I went there with as few preconceptions as possible, yet as soon as I flew over the vast scenery I remember being blown away by all the space and greenery, and that moment alone was all I needed to cement my knowledge of the ND landscape. As for the people: again, I had no preconceived ideas or expectations, but soon discovered that you’d have to go a long way to find a friendlier bunch. Even the few dickheads (a technical English term) that I met were generally more lovable than the typical English clone.

All-in-all, it was an amazing summer, thanks to the people and the places that I saw in this wonderful state. For the ones reading this who I met along the way: it was pleasure, whether we met once, twice, or many times, and I’m sure we’ll meet again.

The exciting news is that Whitney will be on this side of the pond from December 26 to January 9. My priority is to feel well for when she arrives, and also have answers to the questions surrounding us both: what are our next steps in life - both individually and cohesively? Where do we go from here? Who really is the better cook? (She makes a mighty Toscana soup, yet my red wine chicken casserole is equal to it).

Goodbye North Dakota