It’s been 188 days since I’ve seen you, not like anyone is counting or anything. My life was changed forever when I met you, I never thought I could make such an amazing friend as I did with you. We met under less than normal circumstances. We had both been accepted into the Disney College Program and we were on the lookout for roommates. However, I was lucky enough to get more than a roommate out of this experience but a best friend that I will hopefully have for the rest of my life. We talked for months before we finally got to meet. We both moved away from our homes and families and I admit I was a little terrified of the whole experience, but we got through it together.

We lived together for four months in those less than luxurious apartments with the ugly couch and air condition that froze on occasion. But I wouldn’t trade anything for those days. In fact, I would give anything to go back to that time and relive it all over again with you. We got to experience a truly once in a lifetime experience together and it’s forever changed me.

On our days off of work, we got to play in Disney World for free anytime we wanted. We would work 8-10 hours and then find ourselves at Magic Kingdom again for the hundredth time. Or we would go ride one of our favorite rides, Figment, Soarin, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain, Spaceship Earth, or The Great Movie Ride (RIP). We had a lot of favorites but I’ll just mention those few, you still remember the rest.

You pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me to try things I would never have. You pushed me to be brave. You even almost let me drown at Typhoon Lagoon, but I forgive you, it was good for me. I wouldn’t have wanted to face that giant wave with anyone else by my side. Even when I wanted to give up and go home, you were what helped me through the long hours and homesickness till the end.

It’s hard for other people to understand how we could get so close in just four months, but once we met it felt like we had known each other for years and I knew we were friends now and nothing was going to change that.

My favorite memory I have of us at Disney was the last day we spent at Animal Kingdom. We had to watch Festival of the Lion King one last time before you left and we missed the first show and we’re going to wait, like, two hours for the next one. But the cast member overheard us talking about how it was your favorite show and he got front row seats reserved for us. I still tell that story whenever I get a chance. It was the perfect last day at the parks.

I can still remember dropping you off at the airport and sending you back to California like it was yesterday. It wasn’t goodbye but see you later. We talk every day but now that we can’t see each other every single day my heart aches a little for the time when we can meet again and continue our many adventures of Liz and Bri.

Love, your long distance best friend,

Liz