Wow, I have 10 more months here in Germany, and I can't really believe I've been here only one month - I've been challenged so much, learned so much about myself, and where my life is going.
Two days ago, my flight was supposed to leave back to the U.S. That all changed about a week in, when I asked my mom "hey mom, um, why am I going back to the U.S.?" Her answer was, "I don't know, honey." Thus, the course of my future changed.
To be honest its been really difficult, but I knew the decision was right to stay when I got some advice from two close friends of mine, Pranshu Verma and Adam Dombrowski, respectively;
I trust you'll have a blast and learn a shit ton about yourself during the process. I can only imagine how useful this period of limbo is going to help inspire your career path forward. Rarely do we ever get time to reflect upon ourselves and as a result, we end up living life day by day, hoping to one day approach a state of clarity which most often we never give a chance to arrive. But it's experiences like the one's you and nithin are having that force you to push your comfort zones, doubt yourselves, and make you feel just generally all around uncomfortable that can help solidify how you want to approach your life - something most people can't say they've ever gotten a chance to do. So cheers to your random walk through Europe and I can only imagine the success that lies ahead for you!
I can only imagine how the experiences that you, and Nithin, are both having right now. I mean I feel like these are mind-, spirit-, and heart-opening experiences we're talking about here...
I couldn't have put it any better - so I wont.
All of these stories are told
in full in prior blog posts, but
HERE'S THE RECAP:
Arrival:
The day I arrived, after not sleeping on the red eye-ish flight, me and a few friends my mom introduced me to, who are my age, went clubbing, and didnt leave til 6 am. I got pretty doski'd, but was dancing it off as usual. And I hit it off and picked up a very cute German girl whom I could not converse a word of English with.
Amsterdam:
I went to Amsterdam a few days later and loved it. Its like Venice with all its canals. On my first night out, I decided to befriend as many hookers as I could in the red light district. It was tough not to accept their luring for sex, and they were damn sexy, but I decided it'd be more fun just to joke with them. So I did that with a few of them - but it did not end up well when one of them I thought was a girl turned out to be a man, and who grabbed my package and told me to come inside for more. My goodness.
The next day we rode bikes. and went to the Anne Frank house, which was quite profound. I am still impacted by her quote "I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, and know that I am free." She never had the chance to. It makes me appreciate my life.
Then we drove home from The Netherlands, thru Belgium and Luxemberg, back home in Germany. It was on this drive I decided to stay in Europe.
Female Body-Building competition:
We drove 2 hours to go to this competition that we knew two girls that were in it. I befriended the bouncer, "Slash" I think his name was, and he offered for me to get in free if I rubbed down one of the girls with lotion. I said yes, but I was tricked somehow. I still got in free - but never ended up hooking up with any of the jacked women. Goal failed.
The best castle in the world, and Munich:
It's called Neuschwanstein. Its baller. Its in the Swiss Alps essentially, and it was the most gorgeous thing ever among all the trees of the mountain and the lakes around it. While a bit outside of munich, it made for a nice day. In Munich, we toured the BMW plant, the olympic stadium, and had a jolly day walking around.
The Cruise around the Mediterranean:
Oh, it was beautiful. I love open waters and being on boats. It was a Royal Caribbean cruise. We drive down to Italy, and it was gorgeous - through Switzerland and the Alps, and into Italy to Genoa. From there, the boat sailed to France, Corsica, and Barcelona, Spain - which was by far my favorite. I hooked up with an italian girl, a check off the list, and won the World's Sexiest Man Competition, as judged by hundreds of people out on the deck that day. Overall, I danced every night, knew the whole boat by the end, learned to relax and enjoy where I'm at, and met a lot of great people- from Germany, Italy, and South Africa mostly.
September 11:
At first I wished I was back home in the U.S. to be at all the candlelight vigils and such. Then I realized I had a more unique opportunity than anybody else - I could experience it with soldiers all around me, at a U.S. military base abroad. It was amazing, and at church that sunday, on Sept 11, it was very touching, overall.
Feeling uncomfortable, and doubting:
I can not underscore how difficult this trip has been. I have had so many ups and downs - from amazing vacations and places Ive seen to the feeling of not knowing where my life is going or what step to take next, and generally feeling like I'm spinning my wheels. I learned that the things I love are when I accomplish something, and I in fact struggle very much and am often times very upset and frustrated while getting there - while learning languages, traveling, and learning new cultures first-hand by being there.
Oktoberfest:
I drank five to six liters of beer, got wayyy more drunk than anyone else in my group, went with a crazy group of people you could only imagine in a movie (but it was real). It was like a giant carnival, with drunkards everywhere. Amazing time. By the end of the night I was soaked to the bone, my pants were ripped, literally, and falling off, I stole a liter-beer mug to take on the tram home with me, got laughed at and laughed along, stumbled into the hotel in front of many Muslims who didn't think it was funny. To which my reply was "As-salamu Alaikum"(peace be with you).
A New Life:
Two days ago was the day I was supposed to come home to the U.S. Since then, it finally feels like I'm really staying - no more second guessing. I question myself as to whether it was the right decision. I'm leaving a lot home - most of my family, my friends, and a girl I care about very much. All while I am in search of myself and figuring out where I am going with a new direction in life. Its exhilarating, challenging, and a whole lot of uncomfortable fun, if thats a possible combination.
But its my life - and Ill be damned if I have to sit on the sidelines. Im gonna go out there, and choose to live life, dance through it all, and have the best time I can - and soak it in.
---- I have included pictures of all of these events in my previous posts; fully documented, very funny, and my thoughts as they happened, as well as my many struggles getting used to this new place I call home for this year. I will be here til June. Many places left to go visit, many people to meet, many experiences to have, many upset times, many young ladies to meet anew, and many opportunities I will have. Here's to the new life ahead ----
Two days ago, my flight was supposed to leave back to the U.S. That all changed about a week in, when I asked my mom "hey mom, um, why am I going back to the U.S.?" Her answer was, "I don't know, honey." Thus, the course of my future changed.
To be honest its been really difficult, but I knew the decision was right to stay when I got some advice from two close friends of mine, Pranshu Verma and Adam Dombrowski, respectively;
I trust you'll have a blast and learn a shit ton about yourself during the process. I can only imagine how useful this period of limbo is going to help inspire your career path forward. Rarely do we ever get time to reflect upon ourselves and as a result, we end up living life day by day, hoping to one day approach a state of clarity which most often we never give a chance to arrive. But it's experiences like the one's you and nithin are having that force you to push your comfort zones, doubt yourselves, and make you feel just generally all around uncomfortable that can help solidify how you want to approach your life - something most people can't say they've ever gotten a chance to do. So cheers to your random walk through Europe and I can only imagine the success that lies ahead for you!
I can only imagine how the experiences that you, and Nithin, are both having right now. I mean I feel like these are mind-, spirit-, and heart-opening experiences we're talking about here...
I couldn't have put it any better - so I wont.
All of these stories are told
in full in prior blog posts, but
HERE'S THE RECAP:
Arrival:
The day I arrived, after not sleeping on the red eye-ish flight, me and a few friends my mom introduced me to, who are my age, went clubbing, and didnt leave til 6 am. I got pretty doski'd, but was dancing it off as usual. And I hit it off and picked up a very cute German girl whom I could not converse a word of English with.
Amsterdam:
I went to Amsterdam a few days later and loved it. Its like Venice with all its canals. On my first night out, I decided to befriend as many hookers as I could in the red light district. It was tough not to accept their luring for sex, and they were damn sexy, but I decided it'd be more fun just to joke with them. So I did that with a few of them - but it did not end up well when one of them I thought was a girl turned out to be a man, and who grabbed my package and told me to come inside for more. My goodness.
The next day we rode bikes. and went to the Anne Frank house, which was quite profound. I am still impacted by her quote "I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, and know that I am free." She never had the chance to. It makes me appreciate my life.
Then we drove home from The Netherlands, thru Belgium and Luxemberg, back home in Germany. It was on this drive I decided to stay in Europe.
Female Body-Building competition:
We drove 2 hours to go to this competition that we knew two girls that were in it. I befriended the bouncer, "Slash" I think his name was, and he offered for me to get in free if I rubbed down one of the girls with lotion. I said yes, but I was tricked somehow. I still got in free - but never ended up hooking up with any of the jacked women. Goal failed.
The best castle in the world, and Munich:
It's called Neuschwanstein. Its baller. Its in the Swiss Alps essentially, and it was the most gorgeous thing ever among all the trees of the mountain and the lakes around it. While a bit outside of munich, it made for a nice day. In Munich, we toured the BMW plant, the olympic stadium, and had a jolly day walking around.
The Cruise around the Mediterranean:
Oh, it was beautiful. I love open waters and being on boats. It was a Royal Caribbean cruise. We drive down to Italy, and it was gorgeous - through Switzerland and the Alps, and into Italy to Genoa. From there, the boat sailed to France, Corsica, and Barcelona, Spain - which was by far my favorite. I hooked up with an italian girl, a check off the list, and won the World's Sexiest Man Competition, as judged by hundreds of people out on the deck that day. Overall, I danced every night, knew the whole boat by the end, learned to relax and enjoy where I'm at, and met a lot of great people- from Germany, Italy, and South Africa mostly.
September 11:
At first I wished I was back home in the U.S. to be at all the candlelight vigils and such. Then I realized I had a more unique opportunity than anybody else - I could experience it with soldiers all around me, at a U.S. military base abroad. It was amazing, and at church that sunday, on Sept 11, it was very touching, overall.
Feeling uncomfortable, and doubting:
I can not underscore how difficult this trip has been. I have had so many ups and downs - from amazing vacations and places Ive seen to the feeling of not knowing where my life is going or what step to take next, and generally feeling like I'm spinning my wheels. I learned that the things I love are when I accomplish something, and I in fact struggle very much and am often times very upset and frustrated while getting there - while learning languages, traveling, and learning new cultures first-hand by being there.
Oktoberfest:
I drank five to six liters of beer, got wayyy more drunk than anyone else in my group, went with a crazy group of people you could only imagine in a movie (but it was real). It was like a giant carnival, with drunkards everywhere. Amazing time. By the end of the night I was soaked to the bone, my pants were ripped, literally, and falling off, I stole a liter-beer mug to take on the tram home with me, got laughed at and laughed along, stumbled into the hotel in front of many Muslims who didn't think it was funny. To which my reply was "As-salamu Alaikum"(peace be with you).
A New Life:
Two days ago was the day I was supposed to come home to the U.S. Since then, it finally feels like I'm really staying - no more second guessing. I question myself as to whether it was the right decision. I'm leaving a lot home - most of my family, my friends, and a girl I care about very much. All while I am in search of myself and figuring out where I am going with a new direction in life. Its exhilarating, challenging, and a whole lot of uncomfortable fun, if thats a possible combination.
But its my life - and Ill be damned if I have to sit on the sidelines. Im gonna go out there, and choose to live life, dance through it all, and have the best time I can - and soak it in.
---- I have included pictures of all of these events in my previous posts; fully documented, very funny, and my thoughts as they happened, as well as my many struggles getting used to this new place I call home for this year. I will be here til June. Many places left to go visit, many people to meet, many experiences to have, many upset times, many young ladies to meet anew, and many opportunities I will have. Here's to the new life ahead ----
