Life.

Journal 2

We are supposed to be keeping up "journals" for Museum Studies, as a part of the whole package we turn in for a final grade at the end of our Study Abroad Semester. I keep a personal journal, and find it redundant to keep a "class journal", so I just write when I feel inspired--when I can't hold the excitement, the beauty, the wonder in any more. So this is a journal entry I wrote on a train going so fast it was hard to make out the countryside as we sped by.

I’ve been to the top of the world and the ends of the earth. I’ve stood in valleys and rivers and felt the rain in London. I’ve seen grass greener than fresh cooked green beans and water bluer than the sky at its bluest. I have heard stories of Kings and Queens and learned the magical histories of their castles. I’ve sped by millions of people on the street, in a train, on the subway—and I don’t know any of their names! I have seen sunny days and rainy days and cold days and everywhere in between. I’ve listened to hundreds of songs and written pages of information and taken thousands of pictures. I’ve heard so many languages—so many dialects—so many accents—each singing with a different tone, every one pulsing to its own rhythm and beat of the centuries of its existence. I’ve stood in the ghostly footsteps of some of the most influential people in history and I’ve stood at their graves. I’ve explored and I’ve seen comfort and I’ve felt love and I’ve felt welcome and I’ve missed home. I’m living this life I couldn’t have dreamed up if I’d tried-and--so many times--I've stood in absolute wonder at this world.

What's In a Word?

About a month ago, I finished "Eat. Pray. Love." By Elizabeth Gilbert. It was a beautiful story and had some wonderful words of wisdom. It was just a generally encouraging story about a woman on a quest to find herself and make herself a stronger person. One thing she talked about was a "Word". She used it to describe herself. One word. One single word to encompass something. Think about it. There are millions of words in the English language. Can you pick just one to describe an entire person? What about an entire city?

I decided to incorporate that into my travels here in Europe. So, if you're interested, here's my City-By-City One Word List, that I've compiled so far, with a few sentences tacked on.

Vienna—Serenity

The air here is so calm and peaceful. No one is in a particular hurry—the pace of the society is very relaxed and “go with the flow”.

Brussels—Excitement

The people in Brussels are having fun. They love their country and city and are proud of the fact that they love it. They smile a lot and are happy living life (and drinking beer).

Amsterdam—Hustle

Everyone is in a hurry and on a mission. The pace of this city is a very intense one. There is little regard for those who may be in the way when you’re trying to get somewhere.

Venice—Nonchalant

Beauty absolutely radiates from this city. The boats slowly floating down the Grand Canal are a sight to see: small, large, fast, slow, gondolas, motorboats—the variety is amazing. The water in Vencie is a beautiful, surreal blue and teal. It was a very calming experience to be on the water without cars all around. Listening to the waves at night and seeing the lights reflect onto the water was breathtaking. The people here know they live in a beautiful city and they embrace the artistry of it all, but they are nonchalant in the way that they are able to go about their lives in this city of wonders.

Milan—Classy

Known for its high fashion, Milan lived up to its fancy hype. The small portion we explored was smooth feeling and an open air kind of beautiful.

Verona—Lovely

The quaint city in Northern Italy was silent on Sunday morning. The windows were shuttered and the store fronts were dark. In the city of Shakespeare’s greatest mystical romance, it was difficult to remember the story was fiction.

Paris—Elegant

Sleek, natural, and sparkly, the pace in Paris was constant. The city of lights always had a stream of people going, coming, photographing, and standing in awe of The Iron Lady. The buildings stood tall and strong and proud—icons of the city they protect and shelter.

Salzburg—Tasteful

In a city that holds true to Austrian heritage, it was really cool to see traditional German clothing being worn in every-day life. Seeing men in lederhosen and women in dirndls was a reminder of how much the people of Austria care about where their city and country has come from.

Dachau—Broken

The air was heavy and silent. The day we visited, it was even raining. The sadness and pain of generations past crushed down on the entire camp. It was heartbreaking to walk in the footsteps of strangers who died there, who were humiliated and traumatized, and to walk in the footsteps of their captors.

Bavaria—Regal

The castles were like stepping into a fairytale: the art, the history, the elegance. It was surreal to just imagine that this was someone’s home and life at one point in history.

London—Magical

There is so much mystery surrounding London—it’s history, the myths, and the stories that have been set there. There are legends; there are the mystical natures of the castles and the traditions that exist in the societies of London. To be in a city with so many possibilities is magical in the way that you feel like anything can happen if you phrase your wish just right.

Dublin—Alive

Friendly, beautiful, breathtaking, home, spectacular, natural. The most beautiful landscapes are in Ireland. The friendliest people are in Ireland. Ireland has been filled with turmoil in the past, but today the Irish rejoice in the beauty of living.

Lost Art

I wrote a letter today. To my dear friend in the Big Apple. Affectionately, my Big Apple Pen Pal. Her name is Samantha and she writes in the most adorable bubbly cursive and she has such a way with words. I don't possess her ability, but I love to be a receiver of her letters. I convinced Ang to check the mail yesterday and, sure enough, there were two letters sitting quietly amidst the adds for German supermarkets and IKEA. I smiled the rest of the walk home. I was so excited to read the letter, but I wanted to savor the note, so I stopped myself from shredding the cute pink envelope open before I got to some light.

Naturally, I wrote her back today, and today, I experienced one of the most beautiful days since I've been here. I was at the park right across from Webster, and it was a cliche-worthy beautiful day. The sun was shining hard enough that I didn't even need a jacket. I was comfortable in the sun, the reflection of the sun on the water not too bright, but shiny enough to be slightly ethereal. I sat on the steps looking out over the Danube and wrote to my Big Apple Pen Pal telling her all about Vienna, asking about the Big Apple, and sent along a mini-German Lesson. She'll be here soon, after all. I sat there for a moment, dreading 2:00 because that would mean I'd have to leave this perfect little paradise I'd discovered. I took it all in. I took in Vienna. The light, the breeze, the Danube, the grass I was sitting near, and the seemingly ordinary cement stairs upon which I was seated. Compared to some places here in Europe, or even in Vienna, it's nothing spectacular. But it's a quiet spot with a great view, and for a moment, I forgot that I was thousands of miles from everyone I love.

Writing letters makes me feel connected. I love the pen to paper. Like my Big Apple Pen Pal said, it's amazing to hold something that she held just a week ago in her hand as she thought of me! The lost art of letter writing is something that I wish would be picked up again. It's a personal way to show someone that you took time to think about them. You care enough to take time out of your day.

You found the pen. It was hidden under the stack of books or in the bottom of your backpack. The paper was a little harder. You tore it out of your Psychology notebook or you stole a piece of paper from the lab. You sat down at your desk. Or you found a nifty nature spot. Or you're writing it on your commute. Whatever it is, you're giving up something to do this. You're taking the time to do this as opposed to an email. They will see your handwriting, your mistakes, your scribbles, your doodles, the heaviness of the hand, the splotch of coffee that spilled when the train hit a bump. This paper is your thoughts and a snippet of your life for just a few moments.

So. Go find a pen. Find some paper. Find an address of a friend and write.

Ask them how they are...I bet their Facebook Status isn't telling the whole story.

Piece of Advice

Day 30-Your Reflection In the Mirror

'Every man dies, but not every man lives.'

Dear Me,

Hi. Take a look at you!! From where you were a few years ago, I hardly recognize you in a good way!! That scar on your left arm from that fateful night of Hair this summer. The wrinkles under your eyes from not getting enough sleep Freshman year. The laugh lines you created when you were not getting enough sleep last year. The two rings on your fingers that remind you of two of the most important women in your life. The necklace that reminds you of a best friend and the other that reminds you of a loving grandmother. The deep breaths you take when you look in the mirror, thinking you're not ready for the day, but by God, you just gotta get out there anyway.

Take a look!! Look at where your life has gone! You've experienced so much. You've explored new cultures, new things, new countries...new CONTINENTS! I'm proud of you. I love that you're getting more confident. I know you're not quite there yet, but maybe someday you'll be able to look at yourself every day and believe that you are beautiful. But you're so close! I think that this year is going to be hard for you, as it's already proven itself slightly trying. Starting the semester by leaving a new family this summer was pretty tough. Not being near your friends this semester is killer, but you're getting through! Just remember that you're making new memories, experiencing new stories that you'll get to tell them, but you just have to live!!

I think that's what you're doing now, and I'm so proud of you for simply living. Live with peace, and live with love. Work with joy and love without conditions. And only then will you find happiness. You'll find it in your work, your loves, your friends, your hobbies, the sunshine, the cold, the hot, the grass, the mountains. You will find life and love in all of these things.

I know it's hard, but stop worrying. Don't worry about what you're going to do next semester. Work on it, but don't worry about it. Stop worrying about your friend and your family. Worry doesn't DO anything. It's all for naught because fate will have it's way--the world will still turn and you can't do anything about it, so for the benefit of all those around you, just LOVE with your whole heart. Pray for peace and understanding in the world--not just for yourself, but for those around you and pray for happiness and love on the earth.

Love,

Ashley