A Thirst for Travel

As I'm sitting here looking at this blog, I can't help but wish I was back in Germany writing it. I miss everything about my time abroad. I constantly catch myself looking back at the pictures from my trip and wishing I was back in Bonn with every one. I miss the atmosphere, the streets, the trains, the sights, and surprisingly I actually miss learning as much as I did. Mostly I miss seeing our group every day. Before I left, I never thought I would become as close to these girls as I did, but it happened. Sure we all live in College Station, but we have different classes and organization and work and it is very hard to make time to get together. We had so many adventures in Europe and all I want to do is go back and make more.

Since I have been back, a lot of things have happened and a lot of realizations have occurred. For starters, as soon as I got back I had to rush back into "normal" life. I had to be at work the following week, then classes started back, and the stress and heavy load that comes with trying to juggle college life. Amidst all of this madness I had to retake my PCAT(which didn't go as I had hoped) and apply to pharmacy school. I was almost finished with applications when I retook the PCAT...this is where trouble began. I began to contemplate life at this point. I thought of myself as a failure and wasn't sure what was going to happen in the future. I wasn't sure if I should even apply because I knew that no one would want to consider me with a score like I had just received(I took it in January and my score was better but still not what I wanted). I decided to take time and collect my thoughts about my future and exactly what I wanted. One thing that constantly stuck out in my head and kept me grounded was Germany. I had spent five weeks in Europe learning, traveling, seeing, and experiencing life in a way I never thought possible. I remembered all the places we had been and things Dr. Wasser had said. I realized in this moment that plans don't always work out exactly as we want them too, but I'd never get anywhere or accomplish anything if I didn't try. After all, sometimes we just have to leap into the unknown and hope for the best.

Returning to "normal" has not been so easy. I long for adventure and to see a new culture or explore a new city...and this is not so easy when I'm in classes full time and have a job. People aren't the same. America is a harsh place as I've come to learn and we are not very accepting of those who are different. I understand there are some bad people in the world, but that does not mean an entire race or culture or religion is bad. Every group has a few bad seeds, and there is nothing that we can do to change this. However, we can educate ourselves on those groups, try to learn about their culture and then once we understand, maybe we would be more accepting. However, it seems easier to blame an entire group rather than take the time to educate oneself so they take the easy way out. However, in the end this could do more damage than good. I'm not really sure what is going to happen in the future, but I do know American and the world will continue to decrease as long as we keep the hatred and don't take the time to educate and explore. My life will forever be changed from this trip. I was able to see new things and I know have a greater understand and appreciation for the world as a whole. I believe and I now know there is good. I believe a lot of the problem is a language barrier. The fact that we can't understand everyone and the fact that they dress a little different then we do, makes it easy to blame them and assume they are bad. However, there was not one time when I was abroad that I felt threatened or scared for my life. I often feel more afraid in American then I ever did in my 6 weeks in Europe.

There is a lot more I hope to explore and learn, but for now, I will take my 6 weeks in Europe and hold on to them very tightly. I will continue to compare that world to this one we call America, and I will forever question why we can't be more accepting and understanding the way they were with us while we were traveling. I hope to go back some day and I hope that by the time I do, the world will be a little brighter place and there won't be so much fear and aggression. For anyone who reads this blog and is questioning whether or not it is a good idea to travel abroad, don't think, just do it. Take that leap into the unknown and don't look back. I promise, you won't regret it.

Forever wishing I could time travel and return!
I'll see you someday again Europe!