So Not About Lithuania at All

So I have never felt a real push to be involved in "real" politics. Needless to say I was all about the Associated Student Body in high school, but that is when the crisis was about what to give away at the spirit assembly to get people to come or what the theme of homecoming should be. Now being in a different country, it has hit me what an opportunity I have in being American. 

The 2008 Presidential Elections are in full swing and there are so many people to choose from. I personally have not felt that I am Democrat or Republican in the past and even in reading the bios of the candidates I do not agree with one side more than the other. I think as humans, whether running for president or not, it is impossible to agree completely with another human being. So when reading the stances of those running for presidency how do I chose what is the most important? Do I pick what is important to me, or to the nation? Do I chose based on a persons background and what their past shows, or do I go solely on what they put on the table? It would only seem fair to judge by what they say, not to judge them as a person, but to pick on the basis of what kind of leader they will be for the country at a whole. But they are politicians, they know the right things to say to get what they want- but if you assume the worst in a person then how will humanity ever get anywhere? 

This is where I take a breath. I understand it is my responsibility to vote as an American citizen, but there are so many other questions that I feel need to be answered before I even begin to think about a candidate. This will probably get easier the more I vote, the more I make a strong hold for what I believe, but at this time it is all a blur. 

There is no gray area in politics, even though it all seems gray, you have to be in it or not. Some say that you can choose to vote for somethings and not others, but really it is all connected and one thing leads to another. So how do I tackle this responsibility? How does a person really make an impact in their country?

Okay- now off to class. :-)

Expectations

So this is semi-cliche... blogging on new year's eve... but a new year is creeping upon us! My departure from the states is in 2 1/2 days and I have finally reached the point of excitement. Another point that I should state is that I am home alone after work tonight and not sad . My family is out with our extended family because I was at work til 7:45pm and by the time I got home there was no desire to go out and be social. But the new year is practically here and I wonder what is ahead of me. It is usually in these first few weeks of the new year that people try to totally change themselves, set high expectations that they'll never reach, and think that an new year brings a blank slate. Sorry to be a debbie downer, but I have finally reached a point where life is just a bunch of blocks that build on top of each other. You can't take down the past, the base of your whole life, and not expect the rest of it to come tumbling down You must move forward in stride taking in everything that might come your way. With that said, I realized in the back of my head I was setting expectations for this upcoming year

Here I get a chance to go abroad. I leave in less time than I can imagine, and have finally become totally stoked! I love my family and friends and will miss them dearly, but it has smacked me in the face what an awesome opportunity is in front of me! I go to London for 5 days, fly to Lithuania to "study", hopefully Ireland for Easter, we get to travel around Russia, Estonia, and Latvia for about a week, and at the end of all that I get to travel around various different countries with friends and my mom. I know such a hard life... but as I sit here watching The Holiday and hear people from various countries come into work and I can't help but get swept up in the fairy-tale of a world unknown. I would fall for any accent and feel like I can be any person in this far away country. Although I will most likely fall for any accent :-) ...I know I cannot transform myself. I just hope that at 2 hours from the great 2008 I am prepared for anything that might come my way. I pray that I can take every lesson and experience and grow from it. I know that there is such a bigger plan ahead of me that I can't wait to fit into...and if someone with an accent fits into this plan then I'm not going to argue ;-) haha.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

world... here I come!

Ps: It is suppose to be one degree when I fly into London! What is a San Diego girl suppose to do?!

The countdown has begun....

With two days left in the semester the hardest part has finally come. Michelle left today... and it hasn't really hit, tomorrow is my last final and then Mel leaves tomorrow night. I pack on Friday and really say good bye and try to comprehend that I won't be back in 3 weeks. I leave Wednesday January 3rd, and between now and then I will be with San Diego friends and working back at Coffee Bean. Sure the holidays will be fun but I have a feeling that they are going to zoom right past. 

For all of you who have not heard me talk on end about this subject, you should know that I am studying abroad in Lithuania for the Spring 2008 semester. I will be studying at Lithuania International University from January 8th to May 4th. Lithuania is a tiny little country in the Baltic States, west of Russia and across the sea of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. On a map, if you go straight across from the south of Alaska all the way to Europe you pretty much land on Lithuania, aka: snow-cold-and almost no sun for a bit. Before and after I get the opportunity to travel around and will be getting so many stamps in my passport! :-) I am going to miss everyone soooo much, and want to try dearly to keep in touch, but I know it will be hard. Whether you are at APU, going home for a semester off, in South Africa, or in San Diego, this blog is open to all of you. I plan on keeping you updated if I can't talk individually and posting many many pictures of all my experiences!

So all that to say, I am stoked and sad at the same time. Saying goodbye sucks, but I know I have so much in store for my future that I can hardly wait. Bookmark this page and there will be so much more to come!