The Final Countdown

Well! This time next week, I will be taking in my new surroundings and going through student orientation on a different continent!  I cannot believe how fast the past few weeks have gone by.  I most certainly do not feel as prepared as I thought I would, but then again, I doubt anyone ever really does when it comes to these types of things.

I’ve spent the last month living between home and Fort Wayne.  It is quite difficult deciding where to spend one’s time when you feel equally committed to both family and friends.  While my mom is, no doubt, my best friend, my brother and dad are never anywhere to be found at home – and as much as I love my entire extended family, spontaneous visits are very rare. (Recently, I have learned that I absolutely want this to change in the future.)  On top of that, the majority of my friends have left Huntington for other places.  Thus, my hometown just doesn’t feel like home.  When I first moved to Fort Wayne, I truly thought I would never feel comfortable, but over the past two years, I’ve met so many wonderful people and had so many great experiences that I cannot imagine never having come here.

It is comforting to consider the way that Fort Wayne gradually became “home” for me because I know that eventually, as different as Canterbury will be, it will, too.  I know that the easiest way to make this happen is to dive in to as many organizations (“societies”) as possible and make it a point to be out and about on a regular basis.  I do not believe this will be too difficult, as I have already come across several things I hope to join.  For example:

• Feminist Society
• Amnesty International
•  Animal Rights Society
•  Photography Society
•  Philosophy Society
• English and American Literature

Obviously, there is no way I will be able to keep up with even half of these clubs, however, I believe going to the first meetings will at the least introduce me to students who share the same interests as me.

The University also hosts a Welcome Week for freshmen (“freshers”) and International students.  I like the fact that I will be on campus a week before everyone else so that I can become familiar with the area before the school year begins, without being too overwhelmed by thousands of other people!

  

It may sound like this is one big vacation, and in a way it is, but yes, I WILL be taking classes.  I’m rather far ahead in my studies now so that I do not have to overload in order to graduate next spring.  Each class meets only one day a week.  My schedule, if it does not change, looks like this:

Tuesday:  Sex, Gender, and Socialization (did I mention I’m minoring in Women’s Studies?)

Wednesday:  Introduction to International Politics (I thought this would be an interesting course to take in another country)

Thursday: Reading and Writing Poetry  (for my English degree)

I am also signed up for an introductory course in French but have decided I am going to change that, as I would prefer to come as close to mastering Spanish as I can before delving into another language that is far too similar!  I’ll admit that it’s also due to the fact that I’ve become quite fond of the language and culture over the course of the year, especially since dating my boyfriend, whose Mexican heritage (as well as stories upon stories of Mexican folklore) and occasional conversations in Spanish continue to draw me in. 

Many people have questioned how I plan to stay in a relationship that is in its (somewhat) beginning stages if I am going to be gone for nearly a year.  In all honesty, Demetri was not supposed to happen and I was attempting to avoid a relationship of any sort before I left.  Before and during dates over the course of the last year, I turned nice guys down because I didn’t want to complicate things, but he came out of nowhere and, in short (as I could write an entire blog about how he won me over on day one, and every day since then), it couldn’t be helped!  I suppose it is nothing new, people falling in love at all the wrong times.  Even so, it’s a relationship I’m ready to work for, and while it will undoubtedly be a challenge, it will show us both what we’re made of, no matter the outcome.  He’s grown to be my closest friend and my number one supporter – and when you find that, and know that it’s real, being separated by an ocean for awhile doesn’t seem like such a big deal.

This post was meant to be about half the length, my apologies for turning it into a mushy short story!  I just want to be sure that before I sign off, I send out a big thank you to both sides of my family – the last couple of weeks I was able to see everyone and received so much support and encouragement!  I love and appreciate all of you more than you know.

Off to work on the last of my to-do’s, and the whole packing thing...

For now,

Aly