of experience:
There are many adventures that I dream of taking. Some for pleasure, some for change and some for education. One that I’ve always wanted to take was a road trip through the United States, simply because it seems like an entirely different culture. I can’t even imagine what Nashville, Austin, and New Orleans are like. I’ve seen the hustle-and-bustle of the coasts: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and the states of New Jersey, North Carolina and Flordia for that matter, but I’ve never experienced the heartland.
Three weeks ago, I was approached to embark on a journey that entails both aspects of my ideal adventure. The burden of school, however, forced me to say “no” to them numerous times. I thought that missing school would bring down my grades and result in a lesser chance of getting into a good college. This was impossible.
The response of “no” that I gave numerous times continued to upset me for days. I wasn’t sure why I was becoming so mad at myself for turning down a job because of school. Soon after, I realized what it was. Embarking on this journey is not only a job, but a life adventure. It is an adventure that I have always wanted to take, a sort of adventure that I live for. It is for the sake of feeling out of your comfort zone to experience someone else’s. It is for the creativity that flows from spending hours upon hours on freeways through nature and small towns. It is for the sake of actually seeing a real small town and meeting small town people. Challenging my beliefs, fears and desires – and documenting it all.
So I turned around and told myself, this will be the first time that I’ve truly challenged my existence, morals and lifestyle. Missing a few classes may affect my grade, but this trip may allow me to think different.
Lastly, it isn’t until after you’ve seen the mid-west/south that you can actually say: “I know what it is like to live in America,” because frankly as of right now, I have no idea what it is to be “American.”
April 20, 2008