While the looming shadow of an empty piggy bank haunts my dreams, it is accompanied by thoughts of a new world, a divergent culture, and a breath of air that I’m unaccustomed to. Upon being accepted into the blessing that is Global Citizen Year, I’ve already gotten a new lease on life, but it’s come with a lot of emotions and anxieties that are unfamiliar to me. But I’ve been coping; for example, I’m currently sitting upon the La Misión beach in Baja California, sunbathing with Pink Floyd’s Animals and writing this blog post (photo above). As cliché and Morgan Freeman-esque as that sounds, it reminds me of how awesome my life has been thus far (while slightly increasing my anxiousness for what’s to come in August). There’s a surreal sense of moving on in my life right now, in a way that I’ve never experienced before. I think that that mostly comes from knowing that I won’t be living at home anymore. The harsh part is that I won’t see my friends on a regular basis. While we’re already reminding ourselves and each other to stay in contact, my freshman year of college doesn’t come with an easy trip home and winter and spring breaks. No, this beautifully arduous year is going to include more soil stains and Imodium than most.
And so, my last month in California will be mostly spending time with my family, friends, and dog, surfing Surf City and soaking up all the other the simple pleasures of my hometown, including all the gourmet vegan food I can get my hands on.
