This "once in a lifetime" concept is getting really hard to handle. As soon as I confirmed my travels to Oxford, I was bombarded with tons of suggestions on where to go, what to see, and what food I just HAD to try...all to make sure I get the "most of my experience"
Well, I'm just going to guess that knowing how to get the most of one's experience is something I'll discover after I get back in America and have time to think about everything I wish I would have done- because right now, the number of possibilities for my break are endless...(well, as endless as my bank account...) and truly everything sounds like something I would love to see or do.
In one week Hilary Term will be complete, and I will being my 6 weeks of European freedom for discovery. I'm so excited about completing my first tutorial, and I can't wait to travel, but part of me is nervous that I'm going to miss out on some opportunity of this "once in a lifetime experience" and before I know it both my break and Trinity Term will be finishing and I will have not completed my "once in a lifetime TO DO list" .
I suppose this is the way it is anywhere though right? Most phases of life are really "once in a lifetime" and everyday there are a ton of opportunities that could be slipping by - and it really makes no difference if I'm in another country or not. Trying to get the most out of my experience of Europe has allowed me to reflect on the many opportunities I haven't taken back in America to see places, or do things, or spend time with people- whatever it is that's supposed to equate to "getting the most out of the experience" Most of the students I've met haven't been to America- but when they talk of the places that they would like to visit there, most of them are places I have not even been to- and I live there....I guess living there just makes me think I have all the time in the world to do those things which are around me (not just traveling)....
anyway, I think its just interesting that while I'm here I find it crucial to fit in as many countries as possible in six weeks....and in the end I may be spending more time in a greater variety of countries than I have variety of states back home.....Living in Oxford truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is likely that I may never get to live abroad again. Though I hope that is not the case, I suppose a dose of reality and perspective are needed. But truly I'm just trying to wrap my mind around all the opportunities that exist for life's experiences each day that I just overlook or avoid for whatever reason. And being only one year away from graduation I''m forced to think about how the "once in a lifetime" undergrad experience is coming closer to an end as well though I'm not sure how that happened so fast. I guess really, each day is once in a lifetime. And even though that thought isn't really orginal, I do think that it is mostly forgotten. I suppose it is all about perspective...
Well, Kristie, Bobbie Jo, and I finally got ourselves together to book flights for the first two weeks of break. The plan is to start in Barcelona, then travel to Venice, then Florence, then Rome, and then back to London. I am so thrilled that we have finally chosen our destinations and have gotten the travel plans started! I don't know when I got old enough to book flights to foreign countries with out even telling my parents yet- I get nervous about being able to do things like that sometimes. Or maybe I'm just resisting growing up- should have not decided to move to a different country if I intended on not growing up I guess......Bobbie Jo can only come for the first two weeks, but afterwards Kristie and I hope to find ourselves in Paris and maybe Switzerland- and then the last week we will become beach bums in Greece. At this point, we may become starving travellers. Mom and Dad are coming the first week of April to enjoy England with me, so that will be nice to visit some places closer to Oxford and of course, see my parents for the first time in three months.
So, even if I end up back in the states in June thinking of a few more things I wished I would have done, I certainly don't know where I would cram in another day of adventures...hopefully all works out- but I, of course, have to keep in mind that being accident prone will not magically go away during my travels...
Well, hopefully I make the most of Once in a Lifetime...whatever that is supposed to mean.
Until then, I still have one last presentation for my tutorial to complete. The eighth week burn out is starting to set in...so while this should be easier for me than writing an essay, I may find motivation much harder to come by than usual.
Well, I'm just going to guess that knowing how to get the most of one's experience is something I'll discover after I get back in America and have time to think about everything I wish I would have done- because right now, the number of possibilities for my break are endless...(well, as endless as my bank account...) and truly everything sounds like something I would love to see or do.
In one week Hilary Term will be complete, and I will being my 6 weeks of European freedom for discovery. I'm so excited about completing my first tutorial, and I can't wait to travel, but part of me is nervous that I'm going to miss out on some opportunity of this "once in a lifetime experience" and before I know it both my break and Trinity Term will be finishing and I will have not completed my "once in a lifetime TO DO list" .
I suppose this is the way it is anywhere though right? Most phases of life are really "once in a lifetime" and everyday there are a ton of opportunities that could be slipping by - and it really makes no difference if I'm in another country or not. Trying to get the most out of my experience of Europe has allowed me to reflect on the many opportunities I haven't taken back in America to see places, or do things, or spend time with people- whatever it is that's supposed to equate to "getting the most out of the experience" Most of the students I've met haven't been to America- but when they talk of the places that they would like to visit there, most of them are places I have not even been to- and I live there....I guess living there just makes me think I have all the time in the world to do those things which are around me (not just traveling)....
anyway, I think its just interesting that while I'm here I find it crucial to fit in as many countries as possible in six weeks....and in the end I may be spending more time in a greater variety of countries than I have variety of states back home.....Living in Oxford truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity. It is likely that I may never get to live abroad again. Though I hope that is not the case, I suppose a dose of reality and perspective are needed. But truly I'm just trying to wrap my mind around all the opportunities that exist for life's experiences each day that I just overlook or avoid for whatever reason. And being only one year away from graduation I''m forced to think about how the "once in a lifetime" undergrad experience is coming closer to an end as well though I'm not sure how that happened so fast. I guess really, each day is once in a lifetime. And even though that thought isn't really orginal, I do think that it is mostly forgotten. I suppose it is all about perspective...
Well, Kristie, Bobbie Jo, and I finally got ourselves together to book flights for the first two weeks of break. The plan is to start in Barcelona, then travel to Venice, then Florence, then Rome, and then back to London. I am so thrilled that we have finally chosen our destinations and have gotten the travel plans started! I don't know when I got old enough to book flights to foreign countries with out even telling my parents yet- I get nervous about being able to do things like that sometimes. Or maybe I'm just resisting growing up- should have not decided to move to a different country if I intended on not growing up I guess......Bobbie Jo can only come for the first two weeks, but afterwards Kristie and I hope to find ourselves in Paris and maybe Switzerland- and then the last week we will become beach bums in Greece. At this point, we may become starving travellers. Mom and Dad are coming the first week of April to enjoy England with me, so that will be nice to visit some places closer to Oxford and of course, see my parents for the first time in three months.
So, even if I end up back in the states in June thinking of a few more things I wished I would have done, I certainly don't know where I would cram in another day of adventures...hopefully all works out- but I, of course, have to keep in mind that being accident prone will not magically go away during my travels...
Well, hopefully I make the most of Once in a Lifetime...whatever that is supposed to mean.
Until then, I still have one last presentation for my tutorial to complete. The eighth week burn out is starting to set in...so while this should be easier for me than writing an essay, I may find motivation much harder to come by than usual.
2 comments:
Tired of me leaving you comments yet?! You just always hit on some really good topics! I was able to visit 4 other countries besides Germany while I was over there. I distinctly remember arriving home one day after being in Vienna and talking to my host mother's niece about the trip. She explained to me that she had never been to Vienna. I was a bit taken aback, but then once I thought about it it made sense. What are the big tourist destinations in the US? New York, LA, Chicago. Have I been to any of them? Nope.
I also will never forget my flight home when I went to the UK for two months way back in 10th grade with the people who do the SCATS program. I was trying to write a journal entry about what I had learned, gained, etc. I was overcome with the fact that what I had learned the most was that I don't appreciate America enough, and my own state and city even less. Here I had taken all this time to explore new countries and new cities, but how often do I take the time to explore the nooks and crannies and scenic views in my own hometown? Germany made me feel that way again. It's amazing what travelling around the world will do to the way you view the time you spend here ;)
I love you commenting!
Just so you know, I was so completely jealous of you when you got to do UK SCATS trip!! I wanted to be you so bad. Ever since then I was determined to get over here someday....and it's kinda sad to think of July when its in the past...after all those years of wanting to what Noel did and all :)
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