Summer

My summer could have gone two ways. I could have gone home to my parent's house, worked for a call center, made decent money, and cleaned my room.

Or I could have stayed in Milledgeville on my own dime, volunteered a lot at an HIV/AID shelter, and made zero money. In fact, negative dollars would have been my path.

I decided to spend money and stay in Milledgeville. That was one of the best decisions that I've ever made.

Through this one decision I've received so many more opportunities than I ever would have imagined. I've been volunteering at the HIV/AIDS shelter in Macon (Whoa, gasoline is really expensive) but I'm conducting one on one counseling sessions to the women who are recovering from addiction and are living with HIV/AIDS. I'm also co-leading a group therapy session. I'm learning more than I ever would have gotten in a classroom and I'm growing more spiritually than I ever dreamed. I'm also volunteering at ARF (animal rescue foundation) 2x a week.

Through this HIV/AIDS center I have been given the amazing opportunity to go to Haiti on a mission trip.--- I will be leaving for Haiti July 7th- 13th.

Also, I have been offered a AmeriCorps VISTA summer position working on reducing homelessness in Macon. I'll (hopefully) start that job June 21st and that will go through August 29th. (!!!!!!!!) I can't even tell you how excited I am about this. It's been on my Bucket List to work for AmeriCorps for a long time now, so it would be amazing to see this dream come true.

And finally, I'm going to be co-teaching a Human Sexuality course with one of my favorite professors, Dr. Lindsay.

And to think that I was going to go home and just work in a call center all summer. You never know what life is going to give you. I swear, I am more amazed by life every single day.

Anyway, it was just a choice. And look at all this one choice has given me. Funny, huh.

Yeeeah

I think everything is falling into place. I'm buying my ticket to Hungary after I get a couple more things confirmed, I have amazing summer plans, and I'm almost done with classes.

A couple of things have come up a lot faster than I thought they would so I really need to take time to reevaluate certain areas my life and what it is that I stand for. I can't say and think one think and then do another. Being a hypocrite isn't my style.



"The atmosphere of Pécs, with its two thousand year history and with the growing emphasis on being a university town, makes a perfect destination for students to start or to continue their higher education. The historical town, with its ancient buildings, museums, restaurants and pubs ensure that students enjoy their free time as well."

:/

I can think of only a few things that are more frustrating than not knowing what I want to do with my life when I graduate.
I know what I want to do, but it's the getting there that is the problem.

My dad thinks I should go straight to graduate school. I'd better finish up my education so I can start earning the big bucks after I finish my "fun" time in the PeaceCorps/AmeriCorps/teaching English in a foreign country. So, more school and then go have fun. When I come back I can go straight into working.

My mom just wants me to be happy. Don't get me wrong, my dad wants me to be happy too, but he's also thinking of my future in the much much broader sense. He's thinking about my 401k, my retirement, my long long long term.

Sometimes I get so overwhelmed that I even forget what I want to do with my life.
That's huge. My life. What do I want to do with it? How am I supposed to know? I'm only 21.
Or, I'm already 21. I feel like time is ticking away and I'm just letting it go through my fingers. I'm 21! I need to graduate and get going with my life. But wait. Am I not doing something with my life right now? Am I not making a difference in the lives of teenagers who are failing their classes? Am I not making change right here in Milledgeville even though I feel tied down?



Aaaaah.

Traveling Bear Travels

I've been traveling a good bit this year, thus far.
I celebrated Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Spring Break 2010 in NYC

Can't wait to see what's next.

Update

I will be studying abroad in the fall of 2010..so not too long now. I was going to go in the spring of 2010, but my visa for Hungary would not have been processed in time and I had yet to receive an official letter of acceptance from the school that I was attending, but I did receive an unofficial one. Unfortunately, an unofficial letter will not work when applying for my visa. I'm having a wonderful time here in good 'ol GA, so I can't really say that I'm sad that I'm still here. I get to hang out with my best friend, go downtown, and have table talk with my advisor and some psychology professors...I don't mind postponing my trip.

I am still at GCSU. I am a senior and I will be graduating in December of 2010, an entire semester early. Thank goodness. I am having such a hard time focusing and applying myself this year. In the past I have always had such drive and motivation to do well, but I just can't seem to capture that elusive ability to focus this year.

Instead of beginning the Peace Corps right after I graduate, I have decided to apply for graduate school. After graduate school I will go into the Peace Corps. It's still a dream of mine to help others through the Peace Corps. At this point, I am just rearranging my dreams, not giving up on any.

Still tutoring at Oak Hill Middle School. This is my third year, and wow... Some weeks I get cussed out daily, other days I get overwhelmed with the amount of hugs I get. I never know what to expect. I feel like some students love me and some students love to hate me. I have to keep reminding myself that I am 21 and they are 14 and they are going through puberty.

Family is doing well, and that's what's most important.

I am doing well, too. I do need to focus on my personal health a bit more, however.

Leaving

I'm not leaving for awhile...but I am going.

Oh, and I got my passport over the summer. I am so excited to travel.

Essays

Today I am going to be writing two essays to study abroad.

One is a component for my application to study abroad and the other one is for a scholarship for studying abroad.

Very excited for the trip, not so excited for writing, but I think it'll be easy to write since it's something that I really want to do.

Do I need to get a passport, or just a visa application?
Might as well go get a passport...where at?