Our last 1st day of school

Today was our last first day of school, at least until we decide on grad programs. How exciting! The best part of my day was seeing all our fantastic choir friends again after a very long break.

We missed singing with the Chorale and Troubadours, and now we're ready to jump right back in! Today we received some plans for the spring musical, and I can tell you it's going to be a great one. I can't wait to get into some of the music, and I'm so thankful for one last semester with the amazing group.

Some other exciting news is that thanks to the blessing of a couple amazing people, Raymond and I have the opportunity to go see Jersey Boys in a couple weeks! I cannot explain how much I love this show. We first saw it on Broadway in NYC, and we both fell in love! I'm giddy that we get to enjoy it another time.

Tomorrow I have my first science class in four years. Can you tell I'm a Communication major? Everyone keeps telling me not to worry about it, but it's been a really long time since my Sophomore high school Biology class! Can I get an Amen???

I've loved being at home with my family, but I'm moving into town at the end of the month so that I can be closer to school and work during the week. I'll miss sitting with my dad every night, the overly full fridge and my awesome mom who surprises me sometimes with a packed lunch (hey, sometimes it's okay to feel like you're still a kid). It's only a 20 minute drive though, so they won't be able to keep me out unless the change the locks. I love my family! :)

Check out Jersey Boys, it won't disappoint!

Big Announcement!

Raymond and I have had a few really exciting weeks since returning to the Midwest. He comes in on the 3am train early Sunday morning, and we start classes the next day. It's great getting back into things, but also a little exhausting!

I'm posting an update over my lunch hour at my NEW JOB that I absolutely LOVE. Since I've been here a week already, I think I can officially announce that I'm the new Marketing Assistant at the Museum of World Treasures in downtown Wichita. The team I'm working with is fantastic and I'm proud to get the chance to market this amazing Wichita gem! If you haven't been to visit in awhile, come on in! There were four exhibits redesigned in the last year.

I've been loving the weather in Kansas, as it's mostly dry and sunny. It is colder than England, but I have better hair days due to the dry air! Spring will be here before I know it, and I'll be planting flowers. I do love my tulips.

I know lots of students have already started classes this week. I actually just took my Finance final a couple days ago for one of my classes back in England! I have one more project to submit online, and I'll officially be done with those classes!

Something I missed while I was in England? Pandora Radio.

Check it out, I even have my name on the door!

A new beginning, a new blog!

Welcome to Sunflowers and Skyscrapers, Raymond and Rachel's new blog!

Five months ago, we took a chance and bought two plane tickets to London. It was the best risk we've ever taken! We had no idea what we were doing (buying tickets four weeks before we left), but we had faith that we could figure it out, and have the adventure of a lifetime. We were right.

Our semester abroad is four months of our life we will never regret. Not only did we visit some amazing cities and places, but we made some awesome international friends and spent hours in conversation about the differences in culture around the world.

We love to go home, but we hate to leave.

Our blog, "Rachel-Ray Across the Pond" was a fantastic avenue to showcase these differences and everything we learned in the UK. It served as a way for us to keep in touch with friends and family back home, and gave many of our English readers a new perspective on things they see and do every day.

Now that we are headed home, it's time to put "Across the Pond" to rest. Although we hope to take another visit to Europe soon, we're realistic to know we will probably never again live abroad for an extended amount of time. We're both ready to graduate and start building careers, and bills are calling to be paid.

However, just because "Across the Pond" is ending does not mean that we are done! Hence, "Sunflowers and Skyscrapers" was born.

We've learned so much about ourselves and the world while living in England. We know that it might be difficult to adjust back to life in Wichita, but we're ready to bring our new habits and mix them with the old ones. There are so many ways to mix "big-city life" with "small-town USA," and I'm excited to get home and start. It will also be a great way to keep in touch with our English base, and demonstrate what "normal" is for us back home!

So, what does the name "Sunflowers and Skyscrapers" mean? Raymond and I love to travel. We love big cities, urban areas, and new experiences. I love the metro, because of how easy it is to get from one side of London to the other. The local markets, high-rise buildings, constant movement--they all add to our love of cities and millions of people all in one place. The culture is rich with diversity and fresh ideas.

However, while living in England we realized how much we miss the mid-west, full of sunshine, fields, and beautiful sunsets. We've missed our family, and all the kind-hearted individuals who live in the heartland and have time to smile at strangers.

We're made up of both places, the Sunflowers and the Skyscrapers. Six lane highways and dirt roads. High-rise apartments and the Flint Hills.

We'll never be done traveling and exploring, and we'll never stop thinking about the city.
But the midwest is where we call home.