Pre-travels philosophy

Last night, my sisters and I went to dinner with Michael Edwards, our Biology professor from our Post-Secondary days at Edison Community College. Mr. Edwards is a one-of-a-kind inspiration, in a class all of his own. Just spend a few moments with him, and you will walk away determined to follow his example and be a better person to the world, covering friends and enemies alike in good-natured humor and carpe diem philosophy.

We discussed my trip of course, which looms ever closer like the giant Snoopy at the Thanksgiving Day parade. I can feel its presence getting closer, but unlike seeing Snoopy, I still was not excited about seeing February 8th. There were too many obstacles between now and then, too many things left undone for me to truly enjoy the moment.

But now, post-Michael Edwards visit, I feel the anticipation grow. Mr. Edwards helped remind me that Europe is not so much filled with scary strangers, who speak not a wisp of English and are waiting to rob me blind and exploit my touristy frenzy, as it is a place covered with unforgettable memories and friends waiting to greet me in Italian, French, Spanish, German, or whatever the case may be. It is incredibly difficult to break out of a comfort zone once you have found it, and even more so after you have moved your stuff into it and your friends have come to join you. To step out of it once again is to throw away your favorite, lucky pair of jeans that are so worn they are not suitable for public use. You have trouble doing it, maybe even shed a tear or two, but it has to be done. And you are better off for having done it. Your growth as an individual and your wardrobe thank you for it.

The uptight and orderly-to-a-fault side of my personality and my comfort zone need people like Mr. Edwards to help me remember to seize the day, or as Mr. Edwards puts it, to rise and refuse to set again. So here's to you, Mr. Edwards. Thanks for the good laughs and the healthy dose of much needed optimism.


On a somewhat related note, last night I also had a chat with Kendra, a fellow Ashbrook scholar and German student at AU. She asked me questions about my trip and my plans, and by the end I realized that I know very little about what awaits me in Erfurt. I don't know what classes I will take; I don't even know what is offered (what crazy kind of university never offers the same class twice in over six semesters?). I won't know where I am going to live until I arrive in March, and I definitely have no idea who my roommate/s will be. Heck, I don't even know when the semester is over, beyond the vague answer of "the end of July" I got when I asked. At times, these are enough unknowns to almost make me want to go running back to AU next semester. But here I am, accepting what I cannot change or control, without shock therapy or hypnosis to talk me into it. Carpe diem that! But even better, I plan to not let it bother me. In a true break from everything my mom has taught me, I am going to ride the wave, not only enjoying it when the ride is over, but also the turbulence along the way.

Countdown to Germany: 28 days!!
(that's less than a month, on Thursday February 8th for all you calendar checkers out there)