While I was watching my money dwindle in Norway, Jay suggested I use my airline miles to fly back home for a few weeks. It was a brilliant suggestion and I did just that. I surprised my mom for her birthday and got to spend time hiking in my beloved mountains. Then, as an added bonus, my aunt invited me to Banff where some of the relatives were going for a vacation. It was so much fun; we had daily spa treatments, delicious (oh so delicious) meals at different resort restaurants and went rafting, horseback riding and even heli-hiking. I had forgotten how cool helicopters are! It was great to spend some time with my family and reconnect with my cousins a bit. They're all going back to school and I can drink a lot more than before so we had a lot more in common. Then, I returned to Boulder for another lovely week before coming back to Oxford. It was such a relaxing summer. I really felt like I got away from it all and was able to recharge for exams in the fall.
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