"But knowing that cliches are cliches doesn't help you to escape them. You still have to go on experiencing your experience as if no one else has ever done it."I'm going to try to keep that in mind when I get to Honduras--that even though many of the experiences I have may seem banal in their familiarity to those who have lived abroad before, that's okay. I'm going to do some good work, to see and learn new things, to gather stories, and ultimately to figure out not "how do I know?" but "how do I choose?" and "what do I do?" (Here I quote the incomparable Cary Tennis.)
(Indecision)
I have two weeks left before I leave the country, so I have been saying a lot of goodbyes. I have been very conscious this year of being thankful for what I have, particularly for those moments when I feel really, wonderfully happy. But saying goodbye to the great folks in my life has definitely made me even more aware of how--even though this year was a hard one in so many ways--I have been happy. While my college life was more fantastic and life-changing than I could ever have imagined, this year has actually been that too, albeit in a quieter, less glamorous way. I'll be bringing lots of great memories with me to Honduras, from my whole life. And I am ridiculously excited about the upcoming year.
