I stumbled across my blog on our department website while preparing for a promotional meeting about next summer's trip. I haven't read this thing since I originally wrote it and have been reminiscing ever since....
15.5 months ago I set out on a journey with my jumbled group of students and my boss. Who knew we would have such a great time, form such strong friendships, and just the sight of this silly blog would instill strong feelings and memories?! As I gear up for our next trip to the land down under next June it's only fitting to reflect on the last year and ponder my future trip.
Since we got home I have been distracted, busy, and just scattered. I felt so incredibly centered and one with the universe at the culmination of our trip and the day-to-day grind of everyday life has really worn me out these last 14 months. I look forward to removing myself again and just being one with life in the study abroad experience.
With slight modification from Harry Potter: "I solemnly swear to not be uptight." Last time I spent about a week and a half micro-managing every minute of every day. Yes, I want the students to be wonderful ambassadors of the US, but it's not going to happen every moment. They will inevitably make mistakes and be embarrassing. That's just the human experience, isn't it? The only thing I can control is MY behavior abroad, and like I stated moments ago, I will NOT be uptight (pinkie swear!).
The 33 days I spent abroad last year have given me a stronger desire to connect to all of my students which has been tough since there are so so many of them! (525 this year!). I've caught myself getting lax about it. That's not ok. My personal affirmations after that amazing, life changing experience was to value every moment and experience and person. After reading my blog I feel a little guilty, but man alive, am I glad I saw this! Better late than never in getting my head on straight!
As Melanie and I begin our preparations for this next trip I have to remind myself of three things (keeps in manageable!)
1) The human element is by far the most volatile element in existence
2) Don't focus on the minutia, you miss the big picture
3) Everyone is quirky, and it's those quirks that make them AWESOME
1: Bringing a large group of students together will inevitably bring about drama, conflict, and down right bullying at times. We try to exhaust them with amazing experiences each day but sometimes you can't help but be tired/hungry/rained on/down right grumpy!! I promise to be the best me I can be on this next trip, lead by example, and be the change I want to see in the world (my guru is quite the inspiration...) I will do my best to help students grow as global citizens and as people in general. Not missing the small teachable moments focusing too hard on the big ones.
2: That being said...not nitpicking every little thing and just going with the flow. I was so worried about timing, schedule, and if the students were enjoying/learning/seeing all the things around them I missed out on some prime opportunities to have even stronger relationships with them. Additionally, there are parts of our 33 day experience I cannot even remember because the little details caught too much of my attention. At the same time, when the minutia must be attended, I will give it the full necessary attention and then move on, not dwelling on what I cannot change.
3: Sometimes we, as people, (and I mean the royal we) get caught up in the little quirks people have. Whether it be a weird speech pattern, something they say OVER and OVER again, or something as simple as a seemingly irrational fear all people are valuable. Getting past the little things that make us different can help us come together as a group. I snore, I quote movies like I wrote the damn material myself, and I like to randomly speak in accents. I like to have a good time, even in serious situations, and to be honest, I talk way too freaking much. These things make me ME. Just like students have weird things about them that make them stand out. Getting past differences and finding the ways we're similar will bring everyone together.
I cannot wait until this trip goes again. With the small group that have already signed up we have such a diverse and exciting mish-mash of people :) I'm going to do my best to keep up with this little blog of our preparations and then I will keep another (almost) daily account of the 2013 experience!
