Blog: Redirected.

You won't find me writing here anymore. Think I've outgrown Blogger. You'll have to ask for the URL, doubt I'll just give it out willy-nilly this time. Cheers!

Crown, You Kill Me

Today was a very stressful day. Here's why:

Yesterday, I moved back to school. It's not that I don't love Crown College. I absolutely do, and my time here has been beneficial and I haven't regretted it. But adjusting back to Crown's student life has been more difficult than I anticipated. First of all, the fact that friends of mine who weren't in relationships when I left are now engaged with wedding dates and everything throws me off. Crown moves at such a rapid-fire pace that I don't know what to do with it, so I find it's best to just take a breath, talk to my best level-headed friends (you know who you are) and get back to the real world. The world outside of College View Drive.

I just felt so confined today, like every direction I turned there was someone waiting and watching. Not in a stalker-esque way, or like George Orwell's all-seeing and all-knowing Big Brother, but more that someone was always waiting to take my place. It's difficult to describe, but that's how I felt.

It's not that I want to feel normal. It's that I never want to go back to Crown's way of going about some things, and when seemingly everyone else around you feels the opposite of that...well, it makes for some rather difficult moments.

I love culture shock, it's totes my fave. Especially when it leads to near panic attacks, and especially when such events happen in public places.

Checklist

How to finish my summer:

X write internship paper, 5-10 pages
_ order books
_ pack for my apartment

_ tune up car

Well, one out of four isn't bad.

Here's how the rest of my week looks, though:

Wed: taking car in (so that'll be done)

Thu: packing?

Fri: working at Pioneer Power in Le Sueur, then Mankato following for more apartment things
Sat: State Fair, supporting Doug's final 4-H Dairy Show for the morning then exploring

Sun: church, then moving back ing

So...................................not a lot of time let. But I'll make the most of it, I'm sure.

Good year (but not the tyres/tires)

I am so glad that there is now one more person in this time zone who better understands my deep, deep love for Northern Ireland. Even if she has a man over there and I don't.

This will be a good year, even if it is so far away from the country I love.

This will be a good year, because I have an awesome roommate for my first semester of my senior year. And though I've no clue who I'll be living with that second semester (due to marriage of said roommate over the Christmas break), I have no doubts it'll fair well. Because the Lord is good. And he has good things in store.

This will be a good year, because I finally get to have an apartment, the thing I've been dreaming about for ages now. To have my own wee kitchen with my own things, to have my own living room--not some communal floor where everyone shares and nothing is just yours. Call me selfish, call me prideful, but I like to have my things be my things. I used to apologize up and down for that, but no more.

This will be a good year, because though I'll be busy busy busy, I know there will be good things tied in there as well. Things like coffee dates with mentors of all sorts and ages, and visiting friends, and having weekly After Eights with a fantastic friend, and much much more. And Skype calls with my wonderful Northern Irish friends who haven't forgotten about me for a second, nor I them.

Oh, aye. I'll be alright this year.

Culture Culture Culture

Thursday: I drove for the first time in ages. And there were a few moments when I panicked at an intersection and didn't know what side of the road to turn onto. Fortunately, each time there'd be someone turning the same direction in front of me, so I just followed them. Thanks, Jesus.

Friday: Every time I looked at a clock, I added 6 hours to see what time it was back home. (Yep, "back home"--that is, in Northern Ireland.)

Saturday (a.k.a. today): I went to an American shopping centre for the first time in at least 5 months. Every time I saw the price of an item I doubled it out of habit, as if I were still converting from GBP to USD.

This has become my life. I am such a cultural misfit.

My Aftermath

Today marks the day when I've been back in the States for a week.

It's really interesting how quickly I find myself moving right back into the groove of being here again. My new accent slips in and out (and is especially prominent when I'm talking about the country and the people I love, an ocean away), but I feel I've adjusted to the Central Time Zone again. Sometimes, it's truly as if I never left and the past five months were a dream, and other times it's as if I'm not really here either--or at least, not really meant to be here.

Which, to be honest, is the present case. Every time I check a clock, after registering what time it is here in Minnesota I immediately add on the 6 hours to figure out what time it is in Northern Ireland, and what my friends there are likely up to (should they be up at all). Really, it's funny how time slips by so quickly...it feels as if I've just landed here but really it's near time for me to be headed back to Crown for my last year of school. A concept I am far from considering, but at the same time so willing to undertake.

My life is absolutely ridiculous. And I love it. Who would have honestly thought a year ago that right in this moment I'd be fresh from one adventure and ready to undertake the next one so suddenly? Not me. I never used to be adventurous like this. But I certainly don't mind it...

So much sleepy...

I hate jet lag.