On Thursday I flew home from London to DC. For this trip home I was a bit limited on time, but tried to make the most of it. Friday I went to Fabbioli winery, my favorite winery in Northern Virginia, for a wine tasting and to picnic outside with friends. Saturday afternoon I went to visit my grandma who was really happy to see me, and then in the evening my whole family went to the Nationals game (thanks to Anthony who got us tickets!)… too bad the Nats lost.
Sunday was the BIG day. We headed to George Mason’s Center for the Performing Arts for the Virginia Tech National Capital Region graduation ceremony. I was able to see my fellow classmates and professors and take some pictures with them. The ceremony itself was really enjoyable – President Sands (president of all of Virginia Tech) hosted. We had a great student speaker – a man who decided to get his PhD from VT after 35 years of working (and already having been a VP of Northrup Grumman) – and our speaker was Jim Moran, who was the congressional representative for the 8th district of Northern Virginia. There were two times I got emotional during the ceremony – there was a lady who received her PhD who was nearly in tears on the stage as she accepted it (cue my tears), and there was a posthumous degree given to the family of a man who had been pursuing his PhD, but was killed in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber, so obviously a very emotional moment.
Afterwards my family and some family friends had a dinner party to celebrate at Mon Ami Gabi in Reston Town Center.
The rest of the trip was mostly spent relaxing at home with my family and out doing some fun things with Markie. I am flying back to London today, and I won’t be back in DC till October (my family is spending the summer in Europe instead), which feels weird to know I’ll be gone for so long.
I get back to London Wednesday afternoon and will be back at work on Thursday. This weekend (yes I’m traveling two days after I get back – cue exhaustion!) I am heading to Cheltenham and Manchester to celebrate Mark’s birthday, which I’m really excited for.
Till next time!
Noelle Across The Pond 