On the eve of the journey...

    As I sit in my room, now hours from departure, I laugh again at how life seems to endlessly play jokes with us.  We often strive to plan things out to the smallest details, so as to be most prepared for whatever may come along.  But regardless of what we may hope for and envision, the card that we are dealt is often quite opposite of the expected, leaving us bare in front of the given circumstances, just as if we had never spent time preparing against this very uncertainty. 

    When I had come accross this internship opportunity several months ago, I'd certainly imagined what my last week in the States would be like; friends, celebratory food, goodbyes, wishful thinking, the typical...  But surely enough, as the departure date neared, and I'd realized that I'd be leaving on the morning after finals week, my idealistic visions for an easy-going last week were quickly met with a rather hectic atmosphere as I had to juggle my school obligations with preparations for the trip.

    Well, the worst is over now, the finals have been successfully completed, and I am now hours away from my flight.  And as I sit on this island of time between the two great oceans of events, finally able to slow down to analyze my current situation, thoughts come over me as I reflect back on the past week and think about the future.  My first throughts reflect the inherent human thirst for the future as I find myself envisioning what my stay in Berlin will be like, whom I will meet, what I will do, the typical...  But with the experiences of the past week still fresh within me, other thoughts soon catch up as I realize I am going down the same path as before by envisioning hopes and drawing conclusions to things that have not yet taken place.  Experiences should not have to fulfil any envisioned expectations, but should be enjoyed simply for what they are.  And as I set out on this trip, I come to realize that the experience of working in Berlin will inevitabely be unique and rewarding, and the key to a more memorable experience will not be to have a check list of expectations, but rather to accept whatever may come along and to welcome it with an open heart and mind.