Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Over-Doing It

My life is full of marvelous things that I have done. For instance, the crowning achievement today: eggs, over easy, and they did NOT stick to the pan. Hold your applause.

Although today is shaping up to be a real barn burner in the arena of accomplishments, I have been trying to step up my life a little and get some more things actually done.

I have recently volunteered as a local coordinator to place foreign exchange students in local High Schools. I would be lying if I said that I have actually done anything on that quite yet, but the thought that I might is pretty fulfilling.

I am building Hannah a bike. This is gonna be one kick-ass rig when I'm done. I refuse to let her see it until the project has reached fruition, so I think I have said enough.

I am applying for a position as a North America tour guide soon. It would be a part time thing where I would hit the road for a few weeks at a time on a hiking and camping tour of this great land that I have seen so little of. Still working on fashioning the Resume` towards actually being qualified for the job...

I did the dishes last night. All of them

The biggest of all? Since I have been back on US soil, I have been working at a pay rate that should allow me to live pretty comfortably as well as travel quite a bit. I have done neither of these things in order to pay off the massive amounts of debt I ignored during my time in Germany. Before any of you "tisk-tisk", let me say it was totally worth it, ten fold. These debts will be paid off, with the exception of student loans, in August. This is easily the most financially disciplined I have ever been in my life - after the fits of bitterness subside, it feels good, sorta. Damn the Man.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Lately...

... I have been longing for another adventure. This longing has in fact led to the realization that despite my routine situation of working full time, there are still plenty of amazing things happening here. Just the other day Hannah and I spent all day walking the streets of Charlotte on a self guided public art tour. I have done similar things in cities across Europe and never even thought about doing something so touristy in my own home town.

It was a blast! Spending a day with someone as radiant as Hannah is always a distinct pleasure; but doing so in a way that made me feel like I was once again traveling made it even better. For the first time in a while, I felt like a bit of a foreigner, and it was great.

Something about walking around with a camera made the experience truly pure. Security guards asked us if we were enjoying the city and the weather. A lady stopped on her way home from getting groceries to talk to us about how great the uptown area was. She was pretty shocked when we told her that we actually lived across the street.

Since I have been home, I have run the emotional gambit. From a surprising dose of culture shock in the Philly airport to near depression of how drab life has become in relation to one year ago. The fact of the matter is that, at least for the time being, I am home in North Carolina. I don't know if we will stay here for long, or where we will go if we decide to leave. It has become clear that nothing will ever again be the year and change I spent in Germany, and I am actually OK with it. Life has so much to offer those that would simply experience it, and that (along side with who I think may be the love of my life) is exactly what I am going to do!

More to follow, stay tuned!