After an intense month and a half of re-entry into the motherland...I'm ready to begin the next chapter of my life. But before I ramble on in excitement about my PhD journey...time to reflect! I have to admit I was a little fearful of life after Europe and the culture shock of adjusting back into the reality of living
in the U.S. of A. Truth be told...I have been shocked with the fast pace of life, how my perspective has changed, my yearning to be back in Oslo (or anywhere but the U.S.), my fear of forgetting or losing the memories, finding peace in the fact that I can't put my European experience into words, and just simply readjusting to friends, family, and my own identity. However, all in all it feels like it has been a smooth adjustment in true Leasa style...as I have been keepin' myself as busy as ever. The yoga retreat gave me pea
ce, solitude and made me realize that I can't live in the past of my European travels, I must keep the past deep in my heart and open myself up for amazing experiences to occur in the present. The I-LEAD leadership institute re-lit my fervor for line-dancing (oh my!), working with college students and exploring U.S. higher education issues. So, now it's time to say goodbye. Tomorrow I leave for Georgia, where the next chapter of my life begins. Even though my European adventure is over(actually it's not over...just postponed), I live it everyday in the way I think, sleep, and breath. It is now a fabric woven into the many layers of who I am. Cheesy, but true! Peace out...
in the U.S. of A. Truth be told...I have been shocked with the fast pace of life, how my perspective has changed, my yearning to be back in Oslo (or anywhere but the U.S.), my fear of forgetting or losing the memories, finding peace in the fact that I can't put my European experience into words, and just simply readjusting to friends, family, and my own identity. However, all in all it feels like it has been a smooth adjustment in true Leasa style...as I have been keepin' myself as busy as ever. The yoga retreat gave me pea
ce, solitude and made me realize that I can't live in the past of my European travels, I must keep the past deep in my heart and open myself up for amazing experiences to occur in the present. The I-LEAD leadership institute re-lit my fervor for line-dancing (oh my!), working with college students and exploring U.S. higher education issues. So, now it's time to say goodbye. Tomorrow I leave for Georgia, where the next chapter of my life begins. Even though my European adventure is over(actually it's not over...just postponed), I live it everyday in the way I think, sleep, and breath. It is now a fabric woven into the many layers of who I am. Cheesy, but true! Peace out...
3 comments:
Beautifully written. We were concerned about your reentry into life in the states. I heard you refer to the transportatiion problems(use of cars). That is a given in most instances. Did you pick the columbine as a symbol to show your return? It is the Colorado state flower. One of my favorites as it blooms in full sun and in many different colors. Let yourself florish!!!!!!
I can't even say how much I relate to all of this! They tell about the horrors of the culture-shock, that it'll bring you down and blablabla; but in fact, I think that it's the source of all the changes that happen to us in these experiences. It's at least one of the things that makes us what/who we are after the exchanges. I'm surprised with the way you're seeing things now... I mean, your consciousness and awareness of it all... great!
PS.: postponed until when?
Yes, the purple flower, Columbine (Colorado state flower), was a nice symbolic picture that I captured at the yoga retreat in the Colorado mountains.
Post a Comment