The clock winds down... to my escape!

Only 9 days now until I board the plane that will take me across the world. Almost a 12 hour time difference will separate me from the life I've been living here in Richmond and I'm practically jumping out of my socks.
You get to a point where you just really need a change of pace.. a change of scenery.. and a change of lifestyle and I'm taking it to the extreme.

I still have too much to do and (it feels like) not enough time to do it. From packing, to mundane chores and errands, to saying goodbye to friends. Even though this time I won't be gone for a year - to many, 4 months is a long time. But it's not a long time for the desperate traveler that needs to explore and adventure the world. Four months is a very minuscule amount of time to see all you want to see and do all you want to do - to live and experience the culture of the place you're going.

Unfortunately, this time I will have to be a little more strict on myself, for my research. Conducting a field study with x amount of kids from Ball State University and writing my thesis is the main reason I am taking off to India and Nepal; to study their culture and compare the cultural impacts on the public transit systems of Bhubaneshwar, Kathmandu and Richmond. But the closer I get to my departure, the rationalization kicks in that I will be chained to my studies more than I will get to explore and that sparks a pain in my soul.


Reminder to self:

Keep an open mind and an open heart and let in that which was once never there.

The days counting down.. to Asia.

As the days tick by, I am more anxious than ever that things will change once I leave.

Isn't that what I want.. that change of place, that change of space? I'm still cramped in this small world of Richmond, Virginia.
In just a little over a month, I will be boarding a plane to India; spending 8 weeks there before another 8 weeks in Nepal.
Although, it won't be such an easy feat as my previous travels to Asia. This time around it's to educate myself (with actual university scholarship and thesis research)... here's to knowledge!

As my fingers are crossed to a safe trip, I am longing for some adventure, excitement and new cultural experiences. I am longing to find myself once again...

When I Grow Up

When I grow up...

I want to be everything my mom and daddy hoped I would be. I want to be that girl that carries the world on her shoulders, who can blow the clouds away and call for a sunny day. I want the attitude that nothing will bring me down and if I fall, it's not the first and it won't be the last. I want to have a tender heart and a strong mind; live like every moment could be my very last. I want to conquer the world with my smile and my light and lift up the spirits of those around me. I want to learn and grow and fulfill all of my life's goals and dreams and turn the world inside-out. I want to be humble and care for others more than I care for myself. I want to show the world that life is full of possibility and that taking hold of it is in arms reach. I want to explore and adventure into the unknown, dive the depths of the seas and fly as high as the birds. I want to soar across the globe and shine down from every angle a light that reflects on the world around them. I want to be a mentor, a guide, a leader and a friend. I want to be open to new ideas and thoughts, not judge and listen with an easy ear. I want to find within myself something that so many are missing, and share that with all. I want to love.
It will be on this day that I will consider myself grown up. It will be on this day that I may have gained a glimpse of wisdom. Until then.. I am still searching for myself.

It goes without saying..

Today has been a much better day. Productive. A bit lazy. Relaxing. Anxious.

I need something else to carry me. To carry my mind, my productivity. To relieve my anxiousness.
I need a job. A real job. A job where I can excel. A job that shows everything I have to offer.
My fingers are crossed for the upcoming days, hoping to hear back from a recently applied position.
My list of "to-do's" keep adding up. My list of "have-done's" are adding up. My list of "accomplishments" are dragging at a plateau.

I am a great warrior; a ninja spirit that will fight for my goals. I pray they find me before my spirit plummets and my sword dulls.