Moving in, with the help of a hallmate

It's no biggie to help a fellow Fifth Wester move in while on hall, though taking it to a whole new level when helping a hallmate out demands flying to another continent. Nonetheless, as timing oddly worked out, I found myself inviting my first visitor to my new home within an hour of signing the contract with my landlord. Chris Varenhorst, a fellow V-Dub '09 alum, took a bit of a Fifth West tour through Europe, stopping by Zurich, Geneva, and finally Paris to visit alums/current residents on his way to China for the summer. Not only did he help me move in on Wednesday, we also had the chance to spend Thursday evening together, getting couscous and mint tea at the Mosquée de Paris and then spending some more time catching up and ultimately catching one of the last metros home. Easily surpassing the ties of the brass rat, there's just nothing quite like that Fifth West connection. I'm afraid to admit I'd begun to forget.