Inspiration Overseas

It has been such a long time since I have posted on my blog, and for that, I sincerely apologize. I've often thought about how I should post, how I should take some photos, how I should recored something in this online documentation of my life. But alas, something always got in the way. Whether it was school, homework, rehearsal, or just plain laziness, something was always keeping me from getting back onto this computer and typing a little something or posting a photo from my day.

Then I went back to France.





I spent the last three weeks in France as part of a study abroad program with my school. Since I'm a double major and have a minor, it's pretty difficult for me to get all my classes done in four years. This led me to sign up for the study abroad program in France. I would get some credits, get my final Capstone project out of the way, and hey, its three weeks, IN FRANCE. Can't beat that.



Something that I've noticed about myself is that I'm significantly more creative when I'm writing every day. Whether it's a blog post, a short poem, or just a reflection of what is happening in my life, writing makes my creative brain explode with ideas and possibilities. When I was living in Belgium, I was the most artistically explorative that I have ever been in my life. I wrote half a novel and a handful of beautiful poems, took incredible photos, choreographed numerous dances, created a few drawings, and vastly widened by musical horizons. Besides the fact that I was living thousands of miles away in Europe and needed emotional outlets for my frustrations and revelations, the biggest difference between then and now was the fact that I wrote religiously on my blog. I posted almost every single day without fail.



Being back in Europe this time around, I was amazed by the culture that surrounded me. I'm not sure why it struck me so fiercely this time as compared to last, but it did. Especially once we got to Paris, I was in awe of the art that was quite literally everywhere. Paintings, sculptures, architecture, graffiti, gardens, nature, music, performers, I was enveloped in the folds of French art and I was inspired to a degree I have not felt in a long time. I was inspired to make my own art more of a priority. Of course, my theatrical art has always been a priority. But I miss writing, reading, drawing, painting, taking my time with my photos. These are all things that I want to bring back to the front of my world and my life. I think I need to start with this blog.





My Belgian blog was the jumping off point for much of my creativity when I was living overseas. I'm ready to let this blog be that same type of canvas. Even if it just gets my right brain revved up a little bit more, it will be worth it. I want this creative outlet and I'm excited to get back on board with my art! I am an artist, inspired by myself, by other artists, and by the world around me.

Blogtember Day 4: Afraid

Ok confession time. I passed out on the couch last night before I got a chance to write my post for Blogtember. I'll make up Day 3 tomorrow, since we get Saturdays and Sundays off, and I'll continue with Day 4 today, since that's what I'm supposed to be writing anyways.

Day 4 Prompt: A story about a time you were very afraid.

This one is hard because in my young adult life, the only times I really get truly scared are when I think I'm going to throw up. It's my biggest phobia. Other times that hit me for being really afraid happened when I was a little kid. There are a couple of travel stories that I can think of, though, where I was frightened at the time. Nothing earth-shattering, but here goes.



This particular story happened when I was studying abroad in Belgium a couple of years ago. I was on my way to visit another American friend, and to get to her host family's house, I needed to take both a train and a bus. The train ride went smoothly, and I arrived in this big city called Liège (that's the train station above). I was pretty familiar with it, so I didn't have any worries going by myself. I had done it plenty of times before. However, I had never taken this particular bus. Well, for some reason, I didn't have money for the bus and had to withdraw money from the ATM in the train station, which was nothing new for me. This particular night, though, the ATM was conveniently out of order. It was probably 8:00 pm, which means all the shops were closed and the bus kiosk in the station was also closed for the night. I realized that I had no way to withdraw money, nobody with me, and nowhere to go. I'm also pretty sure that my cell phone was dying... I was pretty much stranded and freaking out. I even asked where another ATM was, but when I got there and tried to withdraw money, it didn't work. Finally I went up to the ticket window for the trains, shaking and scared, my voice trembling, and trying to withhold tears, explained to the ticket man what was happening. Although he wasn't very empathetic, he did make a transaction for me where he was able to do a sort of cash-back situation and gave me a 20 euro bill. I was more grateful than you could imagine. Eventually I did make it on the bus (where there was a guy bleeding out his eye) and managed to get to my friend's house in one piece.

There were a few other situations where I had gotten on wrong trains and ended up in the middle of nowhere or forgotten my train ticket at home and had to hide out in the bathroom... I even have other stranded stories. The only other instance where I can remember being truly frightened was on New Year's Eve when I was in Belgium and one of my friend's got so drunk that completely passed out and we couldn't get her to come to for a long time. I remember seeing people smacking her, dunking her in water, and her just being limp. I'm not a heavy drinker, so I'm not used to seeing these things, and I was truly terrified. In the end, she was perfectly fine and didn't feel a thing the next morning. Meanwhile I was traumatized.

There may be something else in my past that was scarier than these things that I have mentioned, but like I said, nothing earth-shattering. My life has never been threatened, I've never witnessed a crime, and I've never been injured so badly that I questioned if I would live through it. Trust me, I am grateful that I've never been through those things and that the scariest my life gets is being stuck in a train station! God has been good to me.

What are your real-life scary stories?

Loving Study Abroad

Today is Labor Day, yes, but it is also something much more special than that. Today, we sent my sister off to Ireland for her study abroad program! Since I completed mine a little over two years ago (whaaaaat?!) I have been pretty obsessed with getting the word out there and promoting foreign exchange and study abroad programs (by the way, the photos in this post are from my year abroad). I really think that going to a new country to live, learn, and enjoy a new culture is something from which we can all benefit. It is such an eye opening experience and shows you how much there is out there if you just look past your own backyard. The benefits are endless. Obviously, there is the fact of traveling to some place new and seeing all of the beautiful things that the rest of the world has to offer. Of course, there is the chance to hear a new language and participate in a different culture.





But then if you scratch below the surface, there is more. There is a chance to not only see other cultures in action, but to learn them. To learn that language and speak it every day. To eat the local food every day as if it was your daily college Ramen noodles. To make friends and spend time with those people every day as if they were your family. That is where the true magic lies. Pretty soon, you develop not only an appreciation for this new life that you have discovered, but you find a new appreciation for the one you put on the shelf for a while. You begin to realize why your culture is the way it is and why this different way of life works, too. It is an amazing feeling.



As a study abroad student, you immerse yourself. You learn all of the nooks and crannies of your town because you desire nothing more than to be a local. You go to every bar so you can choose your favorite. You get to know the people that work at the sandwich shop down the street. You open a bank account. You have a bus pass. You're not just visiting, you're building a life. And believe it or not, you're making connections that will last a lifetime. You still get to do all those great touristy things, too! Except you get to do them more than once, and you become an expert. Pretty soon, you're the one guiding the tourists!





What may be the coolest thing about it, though, is what you learn about the human race. The fact is that there will be a language barrier at firs, but you'll soon find that it doesn't matter. The humanity in people overrides it and you find yourself laughing with someone and you don't even know why. You have conversation half in broken English, half in broken French, but somehow, you communicate. You pull out every charade, every sound, every strategy you can think of to talk to someone. In the end, it pays off. You have a family, a group of friends, a best friend. Those are the things you never forget.





It's so much more than croissants and pizza. It's so much more than towers and bridges. It's so much more than mountains and beaches. It's experiences and relationships. It's learning about other people and learning about yourself. It's about taking advantage of every opportunity and living life to the fullest. It's about using your mind and your skills to their full potential. It's about becoming the biggest, best version of you.



I'm so proud of my little sister. I hope she has the best time over there and comes home with a suitcase full of memories and stories to share.

If you are interested in following along on her adventure, she has a blog too: USA to UCD. Check it out!