Aesthetics of Everywhere

First, apologies to readers. I know there’s at least a few of you out there. Keep the emails and comments coming! One of my intentions this year is to blog more regularly, and though I think I’ve been averaging more monthly posts than in 2009, final projects and term papers have been my main priority for the past week… that, and lazing about in the sun with friends. Which is also essential.

The turn of good weather aligns perfectly with the deadlines for everything, and it can be frustrating when you’re holed up in the library searching through scholarly texts, and everyone else in the world seems to be strolling about eating ice cream cones and thinking about kittens and falling in love with strangers. Fortunately, by this point I only have term papers, a couple projects and a presentation, and final exams before I can look forward to graduating!

Did I mention that George Washington University’s commencement speaker this year is first lady Michelle Obama? Yep, we met that 100,000 hour community service challenge. Because of this push to complete the challenge, GW’s students got more involved in helping the city this year – an excellent way to improve relations between DC residents and students. So I’ll be graduating on the National Mall with a speech by the first lady – can you say historic?

Speaking of volunteering, I also meant to post earlier about Greater DC Cares’ Servathon 2010. (I think by now it’s too late for new volunteers to register for this year’s event.) Tomorrow, I’ll be participating in Servathon as part of team Global Nomads, working to paint and renovate a DC public school in Northeast. Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me in this day of service!

Anyway, my life lately is looking like this: finish schoolwork, graduate, then travel as much as I can afford to! The past three years of working while at university (sometimes two jobs at a time) have given me a little bit of personal savings that I’m perfectly okay with spending to travel. Hey, I’m young and filled with the spirit of exploration and I hope some things never change. I think it will be a good time to focus on my writing, and I also want to volunteer in projects abroad.

I’m going to Morocco on a geography course from late May to June, which I’ll write about more as the date approaches. That’s already confirmed and paid for. Then I’m deciding between backpacking through Southeast Asia and visiting the part of my family currently in Chiang Mai, Thailand, or spending the summer taking trains throughout the U.S. visiting friends and getting out to middle America and the west, or visiting other friends in Peru and Ecuador (except I can’t speak Spanish so I’d be relying on them). Or some combination of those.

Currently leaning towards SE Asia, because even though I’d miss my friends back home, I think I would learn a lot and be able to travel for a longer period of time. I’m fairly good about keeping in touch through email (less so about responding to letters), so I can catch up with everyone when I get back. I need to take my dad’s advice and book my tickets so I’ll be committed. When I do that, you’ll read about it here – since I hope everyone continues to read this blog once I’m on the road.