Two weeks to go

The trip is growing closer, the daunting task of packing looms large, and planning seems to come in waves. I'm excited for the trip, but realize time is going too fast and I have a lot to do. Besides the packing and planning previously mentioned I've hadto decide on grad school, start looking for an apartment/at least have a general idea of my choices, earn a bit of extra money before I leave, and also try to see as many people as possible before I'm gone. So where shall we start...

I have currently heard from the same three schools I had when I started my journeys in early March, I'm beginning to think I'm an afterthought at the University of Colorado and Maryland. Maryland I'm pretty sure will never give me a reply due to a glitch that had me owing money for an undergraduate application that wouldn't have made sense for me to owe money on being that I applied to graduate school. It took two months for them to fix the issue, I was told I'd hear from the school in mid February, it's a bit passed that. As for Colorado I was told I'd get an email at some point and that has yet to come, so I figure a rejection is in the mail. Either way the MSU deadline has passed and I did not respond, so that leaves me with one true option. I pretty much decided on Wisconsin regardless of what happens elsewhere (short of a crazy scholarship somewhere), but I'm gonna wait another week before sending in my "official" decision because I have trouble committing in certain situations (but not relationally ladies, I'm all about that, small joke). Madison really seemed to be most inviting as a city and as a school community, it's not too far away from most of the people I know, and I'll still get the Big Ten Network. Plus being between Chicago and Green Bay means at least 2 Lions road games, and with Minnesota only 4 hours away, someone could be going to all the division away games this year! I feel Wisconsin's program fits me, but I guess there's only one way to truly find out.

First, however, is the European adventure staring me in the face. I can't deny that there have been days of nervousness, but never in a I'm not going to enjoy myself way, just wondering how I'll continue to adapt to each challenge. I have asked myself if going is still necessary in figuring out who I am, defining certain parts of me, and something that will help me better figure out how to live my life. I've decided that I don't really need to figure out who I am, I think I've done a better job of deciphering of late. I do need this to define certain parts of who I am and need to learn to be on my own, how to struggle, how to live my life. I've always known I'm pretty lucky in a lot of ways as to where I was born, my family, friends, etc., but I've often felt a void of not earning certain things, I feel a trip like this will help me learn how to fight for what I want, something that will be essential come graduate school. The only thing I felt I've truly earned with no real help at this point would be getting into grad school. Even the jobs I've had, maybe I worked hard to get promoted at the Tigers, but I never felt like I fully went through the process of deservedly getting a job from scratch. This trip is mine from the very beginning, maybe it goes back to when Cory and Topanga first got married and had to start off on their own with no help or maybe I'm just a little crazy.

The packing hasn't started yet, but occasionally I've found myself freaking out about something I may forget and put it in a place impossible not to remember it. The same has gone for planning, today I realized I have two weeks, which after reading about many hostels is 2 weeks too late to book, so I made sure to officially book my first hostel when I arrive in Lisbon. The first three I was considering were not available for the nights I chose, but luckily Lisbon has the best hostels in the whole world apparently, so it wasn't a problem finding another highly rated one. I'll be spending three nights in Lisbon, originally I was going to spend 2 nights and do the overnight train to Madrid on the 3rd night, however, I realized I'm going to want to get acclimated (and could always leave early) plus I would have arrived on Easter and Madrid seems more of the everything shut down religious city than Lisbon from what I've read. I'll head overnight to Madrid on the 4th day in Europe and continue you on from there.

I officially have my camera ready and am excited to put it to good use. I will try to take as much video as possible in addition to the pictures. I will take a picture of myself on a daily basis and if possible I will post my "aging/hair growing" process as the trip goes along with all 50 pictures at the end to show the full aging progression and to prove once and for all I can grow a full beard. Personally I don't even think it's possible and I'll look like some patchy haired face dirty man, but it'll be fun.

That's it for today, just wanted to give a small update. Look for a more detailed itinerary (of which will probably not hold true), cities and places I look forward to, the foods I will indulge in (sesos!), and the random things I intend to do. Now go speak some Spanish to yourself, I tried it the other night, it's pretty easy if you don't have to make sense!

-BK