Friday, February 6, 2009

Summer Opportunities

As I await the completion of my Summer Project application, I will wait patiently for the response. Of the many decisions I have had to make, the decisions I made for this summer are probably the hardest. First I will spend about a month in Greece touring it by myself for the last week. (Now that will be a challenge, because I have never travelled outside of North America). Greece, in all its beauty and splendor, will be creatively entertaining. I will be reminded of Madeleine L'Engle's book A House Like a Lotus. I might even decide to bring the book for personal enjoyment and compare my adventure with that of the protagonist, Poly.

My second opportunity is Summer Project. I have chosen a variety of locations, among them Colorado and New Zealand. I do not suspect I will get to go to New Zealand because it is my last choice. Below are my finalized preferences:
  1. Colorado Operations (Fort Collins)
  2. Vail, Colorado (already stated)
  3. Santa Cruz (California)
  4. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
  5. New Zealand (Wellington)

I suspect I chose the first four because they were stateside projects spanning 7 to 10 weeks. New Zealand, then, becomes the outlier of the group. I chose it because I wanted to be spontaneous. I have always wanted to go to New Zealand; I am sure the beauty would enrapture me. But while I was at Encounter '08 I discovered the obvious need in Operations. I am shy and introverted. I write with inspiration. See my article on endangered species.

I often find myself writing more than I should. But I am an artist at heart (if not in mind). I have toyed with the idea of changing my major over and over again: from Environmental Studies/History to English. It would be a difficult change. But then again Creative Writing has always been interesting. On my blog I have the freedom to escape the objective routine writing of journalism. Its purpose, in its most simplest form, is to be objective. Only in some cases (like writing columns) do articles become a works of art--a masterpieces.

I will be overjoyed to go on Summer Project. It is a great uncertainty right now. I hope to be accepted into any of the programs. Summer Project presents a different kind of challenge for me. A challenge that I would willingly take. It would be a chance of a lifetime.

I have always sought after adventure, even as a child. When I was about three or four years old I supposedly thought it a good idea to climb up the dresser. I don't know or even remember how I climbed the thing, but my goal was to reach the top. I am sure the dresser fell. I was left unhurt only to discover fragments of glass (I think) hit my brother. However, I have never sought authentic relationships and find myself alone time after time. Some fear holds me back and I sit in a corner (like I did tonight) waiting to spark a conversation of interest. I am not always successful in this endeavor of mine.

Good night.

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