I think I am mentally blocking out the fact that I am going home. I thought I was staying here forever. Isn't that what I signed up for? Oh well, a girl can dream. It is still really hard to understand that I have to return to America in about 2 months. One of the hardest things that I have come to learn during my time here is accepting that things are not going to go according to plan, and that's OK. Traveling isn't easy. Sometimes you misread your train app and miss the last train to Lancaster and are stranded in Preston in a creepy pub, waiting for the next night bus. Phones are lost, google maps is sometimes wrong, and that one thing you really want to do is unavailable. Even though all of these things can happen, your trip will still go on, and the sun will come up tomorrow. This lesson makes you less concentrated on the little things and really helps you live in the moment. That way I can focus on how I feel and on my experience. I think this is a good lesson for life as well. You have to know that things will never go perfectly according to plan and that you need to stay calm and find a solution. Once you understand that most of these problems are out of your control you find traveling a much more enjoyable experience.
Another huge challenge for me has just been being away from my friends and family. 5 hours may not seem like much, but it really makes it difficult to make time to catch up with old friends. It has also made organizing arrangements for graduate school and my internship this summer very difficult. This has taught me to get myself through problems instead of leaning on others for solutions and advice. While I can eventually get a hold of someone if I need to, if I need an immediate solution, I have to get it myself.
My main accomplishment here at Lancaster has been my ability to adapt to new situations. Now I feel confident that I can go anywhere or try anything. I have experienced so much independence that going to new places does not really scare me as much as it used to. This is good since I am moving to San Francisco this summer for work. The time change from England will be rough, but I am sure I will adjust. I am glad I have developed enough confidence that I can visit and move to new places.
Returning home will be an adjustment, however I have more trips and new places planned in the future so my nomadic lifestyle is just going to continue. I'll move to San Francisco for about 10 weeks then I am moving to Pittsburgh to attend CMU to get my masters. It is strange that I will not be returning to Allegheny. I do plan to visit frequently since I am only an hour away. I want to continue living a life of travel, and I have a million little trips planned for myself when I am back in the states. Even though, for me, being closer to my friends will be fantastic. I move around so much, physical locations usually don't matter. It's the people that make a home.
I am very happy that you learned to not obsess over the things we cannot control in life and have decided to appreciate the bigger picture. I know that is very much easier said than done for most people. Even though my trip has also taught me not to focus so much on things that are simply out of my hands, it has also taught me to appreciate all the things in life that I control. There´s so much in life that a lot of us can take advantage of but forget about because we let the smaller things get in the way. So I hope you continue applying this valuable lesson and use it in Cali and everywhere else that you decide to go!
ReplyDeleteStaying calm, even when things don't go according to plan, is probably one of the most important lessons you can learn from studying abroad! I can't even remember how many times I've been in a similar situations, and I've thought exactly as you said "well... the sun is still going to come up tomorrow." As long as you are safe and not in immediate life threatening danger, usually things will work out :) I've enjoyed reading your blog posts, and I wish you all the best for your future travels and studies!
ReplyDeleteI really connected with your post, having had a bunch of travel bumps along the way. Missing a plane or bus really puts it all in perspective. I am starting to think that little issues are really what makes the journey unique, and I think I got some of my best stories out of situations that weren't exactly ideal at the start.
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