learning to see
A lot has happened in the past three weeks. Since last time:
All final projects have been turned in and spring semester grades are posted
I cleaned out my space in the junior painting studio
I re-signed my lease, my current roommate moved out, a new roommate moved in, and we found someone to stay here over the summer while we’re both traveling
To anyone who’s asked me what I’m doing this summer, here’s the plan:
I fly out of Chicago on May 22 (25 days from now).
IS THAT CRAZY, OR WHAT?
This could not have come together more perfectly – timing, finances/scholarships, friends traveling Europe at the same time, classes that count toward my degrees – and I am so thankful for this opportunity. So many blessings happening all at the same time. Like I said before, it’s a little crazy. But definitely the good kind.
I bought a travel backpack and suitcase (first luggage of my own!). Flights are booked. Classed enrolled. AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO DO. My to-do/to-buy/to-pack before leaving list is several pages long. I like lists though, so having one actually makes me feel better about the fact that we’re leaving so soon. There is something exciting and hopeful in preparing for travel. “Adventure is out there.” And I can’t wait to find it.
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If anyone is interested in ‘keeping up’ – in addition to my sketchbook and journal, I do plan to update my blog regularly. Hopefully many photos and sketches will be included as well! To see all posts tagged “study abroad”, you can bookmark this page: https://lynnettetherese.com/category/travel/study-abroad/ (or, follow my blog through your WordPress account/email subscription to receive a notification about every post).
Although I stayed home for most of spring break this year, I was able to take two day trips. It was quite nice to get out of town for awhile, see friends, take in athletics and arts, and enjoy a bit of that ‘road trip’ feel for a couple of days.
Early in the week, my sister and I headed east to Cedarville, Ohio to watch a friend and high school teammate of mine play softball. The car-ride views of rural Indiana and Ohio were peaceful and quiet. The breeze was chilly, but the skies were sunny and blue – the perfect afternoon for a doubleheader.
During the fall of my freshman year at IUPUI, my instructor for Honors Intro to Business Administration offered an optional field trip to New York City covering “The Capital Raising Process.” It was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience I’m thankful to have had: among other things, we were able to participate in the opening bell ceremony at NASDAQ and talk with stock traders on the floor (!) of the New York Stock Exchange.
Some of my friends and I flew out early to do the New York thing (Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, MoMA, 9/11 Memorial, Times Square, etc.) for a few days. There’s nothing quite like being an unchaperoned teenager in New York City to make you feel grown up and adventurous.
My favorite photographs from the trip are of the city’s architecture. Although there’s so much modernity happening in New York, it’s also one of our country’s eldest cities, and I think its architecture reflects this juxtaposition so beautifully.
