1/16/2015

I can't stop thinking about home.

It's not that I miss being stuck in NWI, I just miss the familiarity of everything- the faces of old friends, the smell of my house, the comfort of my own bed, the nostalgic comfort of driving down the same roads every day.

It's almost the middle of my exchange year, I'm getting so close to the halfway point. Only 9 days to go.

August 25, 2014 - January 25, 2015

5 months

It's starting to become real to me that the time will inevitably come where I have to leave and return home. But I'm not ready yet, I still have so much to do.

-E.

What this exchange year means to me

The success or completeness of this exchange year is not measured by the amount of historical places you visit or the fun activities you take part in or how many people you meet or even the new and exciting things you experience. It's measured in the internal growth and transformation that each student undergoes during our time abroad. We can see and do all there is to be seen and done, but if we have not changed or grown or learned, what is there to take away from this experience?

This exchange, for me personally, has been the most eye-opening, humbling, and self-realizing experience I have ever faced. I have learned so many things about myself.

For so long I have only used the eyes in my head to see the world around me, but now I have gained sight through eyes I now use to look inside of myself. These eyes have changed and somehow sharpened the ones I use to see the world and have shown me clarity, truth, and direction in my own being and in the life that lies ahead of me.

I have also learned to let go. For so long I have brooded over things that have happened in the past and I often clung to lost hopes and roads that had inevitable come to an end. I have learned to move on. Once you finish a book, you can read and reread it over and over again, but that will never change how the story is written or how it will end. Eventually you just have to put that book down and start a new one. And now, more than ever, I am excited to take my life each day at a time and begin writing the rest of my story.

I feel like in just 4 short months I have learned and become aware of so much, but I still have so much more progress to make. I can't wait to see what else this life has in store for me.

-E.

Moving

Today (around 12:30pm to be exact) I leave the home of the woman who has housed me these past 4 months of my stay here in Slovakia. It breaks my heart that I have to leave, but I am given the opportunity to become a part of another wonderful family.

Eva and I have gotten along since day one! I've always felt comfortable talking to her, our relationship was that of two close friends. She was there for me since the beginning of my exchange and has shown me the ways of typical life in Slovakia. She has always been there to help me with things like buying my električenka (bus/tram card), showing me around the city, even simple things like my Slovak homework. But most importantly she opened up her home to me and treated me as her own daughter and was there for me every step of the way during the toughest months of my exchange year. She has gone out of her way to make me feel comfortable and at home during the time we have spent together.

She even reminds me of MY own mother in some ways - she's a great cook, she's a very strong and independent woman, she's very confident and social, we can talk about almost ANYTHING whether it's anything from day-to-day issue to politics, religion, spirituality, philosophy, or the meaning of life. I have definitely felt at home here with her.

And of course there's my wonderful host father, Ivan! He has always gone out of his way to make plans for the three of us and take us on trips as a "family." Every time we were all together it was always an adventure! He opened up his home to me when Eva was away on business trips and he also treated me as if I were his own daughter. He always tried to make me feel at home and always catered to any my needs during my stay. A day with Ivan is never a boring one, he's a man of many words and always has much to say!

I am going to miss both of these people so much, but at least I will still be able to visit them all year while I'm here! They have played an important part of this important year of my life and I couldn't thank them enough for all that they've done for me. Thank you Ivan & Eva.

-E.

<3

New Year's Tidings

Here are some entries I made in my journal about my travels for this Christmas/New Years holidays -

"Stansted London Airport
End of Christmas vacation in Glasgow, Scotland"

"Scotland is absolutely beautiful, I can't wait to go back. It breaks my heart that I have to leave..."

"I hate airports..."

"I'm looking forward to the rest of my time in Slovakia. I can't believe it's only/already been 4 months. Time goes by so fast yet so slowly..."

"I'm really looking forward to what this year has in store for me. This is a year of curiosity and adventures and journeys and new experiences..."

"My New Years Resolutions -

• stop biting my nails (that'll be a hard habit to curb)
• don't stress about the little things
• learn to say "fuck it" when things don't go as planned
• enjoy the simplicity of things
• let life take you places - don't be scared of the unknown or the unexpected or the unplanned
• be open to new experiences
• learn that it's okay to want things your way, don't let anyone walk over you or tell you that you can't do something
• reinstate a vegetarian lifestyle

2014 was a really important year for me. A lot of life changing steps were taken -

• graduating high school
• leaving home on my own to come to Slovakia to spend this year of my life traveling and learning new things
• I learned how to move on and let go of the past
• I'm starting to realize what my life means to me

2014 was a very important year in my life - a huge stepping stone. And now 2015, I'll be hitting the ground and taking off - in ANY direction I want my life to take me. 

I'm going to hit the ground running.

And I'll leave the ground flying."

Happy New Year everyone - may the sun shine on you, may life bring you many extraordinary gifts and surprises, and may you find happiness in your every day.

-E.