Has it been a year?

Well my fellow confidants. Tis been a year since jumping over the pond. And, I said, well hell why not blog a bit and catch you all up on my life. I'm living currently in the glorious town of Fort Wayne, back in the fair state of Indiana. But, at times I can still smell the golden fields of dear ol' Scotland and England. Its weird, I guess since my trip I've put on a beer gut (thank you Carling, Carlsberg, and who cannot forget Newcastle). And I am currently with a company that I am about to leave called Neoti.... Internships can be fun, only when you know you're worth more than a $10.00 lunch. What ever happened to the good ol' folks in the world, still remember you Scottsman who took me back from Lothianburgh Golf Links. Regardless, its been quite a journey. I still remember these experiences as if they were yesterday. Wimbledon is going on its second week, and a year ago I couldn't shut my mouth about that place. One big realization is that if I would have went to Europe this summer, I would have had more money in my bank account (thank you $2.50/1 pound) ratio. But, leaving when I did, and looking forward to going back to England and Scotland is still an amazing idea. I would say the biggest thing that I have learned from my experience, is that its ok for us to be ourselves and to take a few breaks for ourselves. Long before I jumped the pond, I thought I had to be perfect. Life since this experience has taught me a lot of lessons. Sometimes, the most random occurrences are the ones that we think about our entire lifetime. You see, 7 Marian folks went to Harlaxton this summer, and I hope they had an amazing experience. I wouldn't trade mine for the world though, I was forced to meet people with different view points, and that has served me well in about 10 or so experiences that I have had through school and my career thus far. I miss those days, hell, I miss that Auzzie, wherever she may lay her hat. But really, what I miss is the feeling that I could go anywhere I wanted to and be ok. In the US we get so stressed out with our little microcosms that we don't take the time to realize that if something goes bad or wrong that there are 7 Billion people out there and that one bad experience doesn't make or break your life but enhances it. Our lives are so small, the world is so vast and diverse. A year has taught me that we shouldn't be quick to judge it. So many people in the Midwest judge it frankly because we are not a hub of immigration or have any idea of each other's culture. Its good though to be proud from where you came from, but in essence you have to realize that all of humanity wants the same things and may go about finding it in different ways.

A big deal I guess, is that you have to have great memories. This was a defining point in my life and I am forever changed. I believe that I will be a lifelong traveler of cultures because of this. Really, I don't need anyone but myself. I'm going to be ok on this journey. We all will. So I leave you with quote.

"Children waiting for the day they feel good, happy birthday, happy birthday, they want to feel the way that every child should, sit and listen, sit and listen, went to school and I was very nervous, no one knew me, no one knew me. Hello teacher whats my lesson, look right through me, look right through me. And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad, the dreams on which I'm dying are the best I ever had, I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take, when people run in circles its a very very Mad World."


Remember, some of the best lessons you will learn are not in a classroom, and some of the best students of this world are not holding a 4.0 GPA. Live life to its fullest, I mean talk to people you would never have anything in common with. Don't be quick to judge, but be able to hold onto your belief structure, "no one likes someone who is fake." If England taught me anything its that we are all learning everyday, and if you can be curious about the corn fields in the Midwestern state of Indiana, then you my friends are the lucky few who will be learning from everyone around you.