People call me crazy..... Well it is true perhaps and this time I may have to agree.
I began the year of 2012 in Ecuador, on a journey. I explored myself, as who I am and who I want to become, I explored a new culture and new sub cultures, I explored new terrain, and dove head first into traveling alone. But this is only where I began.
Fall 2013, I enrolled in Colorado College beging a new chapter of life between a home that I have always known and one away from my family. Of course there are always the adventures of college as a freshman student with struggles and joys alike, but for some reason my entire life seemed to shift in ways that I never imagined. I was placed in Russian:Language, literature and Culture for my first two courses. I had never had any particular interest in Russia and knew nothing about it, but was intersted all the same becayse it was new. Throughout the course I struggled, I worked hard and still seemed to be behind everyone else in the course. In these initial two months I additionally began to struggle with my mental health as well as my physical fitness.
The year continued bringing something new with each new course on the 3 and half week class schedule that the Block plan has to offer. I met new people, listened to new ideas, and explored spirituality in new ways. I discovered aspects of human kindness that I could never imagine. I had never imagined that I would be the one on my knees lost and confused. I blamed my depression on not doing anything useful in my life. I had gone from a life with volunteer work, work (for pay), and traveling on my own to just being a student. I had no purpose, but for my self and simply felt useless. And from this experience I have grown and now come, due to some miracle to another adventure abroad.
As I have mentioned, I began my year with two months of Russian. My studies of Russia did not end here, rather they consumed my freshment year. After two months of only short classes twice I week I easied back in with two more blocks then signed up to study in Russia. And here in Russia is where I have been for the past two months. Thus I have spent 3/4ths of my first year in college studying a language and cuture that I had no interest in proir to my first course. Somehow through all of my wondering and confusion, I managed to get myself not only to this large foriegn cournty that I have seeminly no ties to, but have planned my trip to continue through Eastern Europe and Italy into late July. I have an outline of a plan for counrty to country and who I will visit, but as I sit here in the Warsaw, Chopin airport realize that it is only that, an outline.
When I origanlly began with entry months ago, I had the full entention to write about my adventures leading up to Russia. About how I was going to Russia and had no idea how. But that was months ago, and this is now. I have had many adventures and have many more to go. I hope to go through and share some of these adventures with others who enjoy discovering new places and cultures, and who enjoy the hands on learning experiences.
Perhaps, I will have to prerequasite all of the experiences of Russia and abroad, with Bobby's story. For the 5 hours that I spend with this drug addict and homeless man may have been the best teacher I have had. But for now I am in Warsaw airport, alone and ready to sleep. I am between my chapter in Russia and my first destination: Prague.
