Since I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of traveling to Paris and Rome, some of the most beautiful cities my naive 10-year-old mind could come up with. Now, in my senior year of college, I finally have the chance to fulfill my biggest dreams thus far of traveling to Europe via studying abroad, and I can not contain my excitement!
A primary aspect of our life stories is our futures. Many of us have an idea of what we hope our futures to be like; this doesn’t require a particular plan or career choice, just an idea of who you hope to be. I fantasize about a life of wonder, adventure, beauty and unknown; when I grow old, I hope to look back and know that I lived as hard as I could and saw everything I possibly could. There’s something about the unknown that is so simple and beautiful. My roommate tells me I’m crazy for wanting to immerse myself into mysterious territory all by myself, but that’s the most exciting part.
Traveling alone takes immense courage and -- even scarier -- a willingness to take serious time to reflect, learn about yourself and grow in self-love. I am eager for the experience of new adventures, getting knocked down and being forced to pick myself up, and learning to love myself all on my own. In this life, the only things we have that are somewhat permanent are ourselves and the knowledge we obtain; I want to learn all I can and see all I can.
I’m yearning for something new in my life; all I’ve ever known are within the walls of the United States. I’m sure all 20-year-olds can relate to this: I need to see more. I feel that I lack global perspective and culture, and in turn, I lack humility. It’s cheesy, but I resonate so much with the movie "Eat Pray Love." She is not only a writer, but also a person eager to find herself again after a rough divorce. She must travel alone because it will give her time to get to know herself again and regain her “appetite” for life; I need that, too. Being 20 years old is complicated. I’ve lost myself and I must be found. I want to love life again, and I truly believe traveling the world is my ticket to do just that.
Later in life, I hope to be well-traveled, well-read, humble and knowledgeable about many things. I long to understand the history of the world and other cultures, so that I can truly appreciate all that this world has to offer. I feel the need to learn everything I possibly can in my lifetime. Because, honestly, that’s all we have: ourselves, our knowledge and our experiences. What better way to begin a life of adventure than moving to Europe by yourself for three months? My journey awaits me, but damn, I can’t wait any longer. Until then, I’ll keep the experiences coming.
