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Published: April 28th 2011
First trip
this was my first trip out to KU when I decided it was perfect!I am ending my Junior year at college in Kansas. I can not believe it. My whole life I lived in California, Northern California to be specific (it is like two different worlds from North to South). I decided four years ago going into my senior year that I really wanted to explore a new state and attend college outside of California. I wanted a college town experience, something that is hard to find in California. I decided, the midwest is where I need to look.
People always ask me...why did you choose to go to school in KANSAS from CALIFORNIA? Yeah Kansas may be flat and full of wheat fields, but the family atmosphere of a midwest town is something hard to find in this whole world. It was more than just good academics, good basketball, and good beef...the hospitality and love for socialization is unique to the midwest.
I have officially lived in Kansas for two and a half years (I spent a semester abroad), and I have minimal complaints. It is gorgeous in the Fall and green all throughout the Spring and the Summer. Lawrence, Kansas is its own personality. This town is full of bumpy
Eagles
Bald Eagles from our hotel room roads and awful hills (the only in Kansas), but the personality is out of this world. Most everyone is friendly and genuinely happy. I have NEVER seen partying like I have seen in Kansas. They say it is because there is nothing better to do in the midwest. I am not sure this is true, but it definitely lives up to that expectation! It is a special town.
It is definitely not somewhere I would want to live forever. It has some flaws like the roads, the inconsistent weather, and the really smelly farm boys. Those are all minor really. One big complaint I have of the midwest, in particular Kansas, is that so many people are sheltered. These people don't know much about the world outside of their tiny towns. Many of the Kansans don't have passports, let alone ever been on a plane. Because they have everything the need near them, many do not have the urge to explore. I understand completely. Coming from California, I am used to living far away from extended family, the Kansans are not. Most families live within the same town or even street. I can understand the difficulties and the lack
Campanile
The gorgeous Campanile in the snow of desire to explore, but if they were just to travel, even for a short time outside of America, the land of the free, their ideas of the world would completely change, and I believe for the better. Now who am I to say this, I really do not know what it is like to live without this desire. My parents have dug it into me since I was a little girl on my first trip to Yellowstone. Ever since I smelled the nasty scents surrounding Yellowstone, I have had the bug to travel at any opportunity, an expensive hobby!
Since my Freshman year I knew I wanted to study abroad. This past year I lived in Dublin, Ireland for two months where I worked for two non-profit as an intern. Immediately after, I moved to France where I spent four months immersed in the French culture and language. Languages are my passion. This upcoming summer I will be spending six weeks in Nicaragua doing Phonetic Research and learning the Miskitu language found in small miskito tribes in northern Nicaragua. Like I said, I am a little biased because I have such a motivation to travel. I hope my
KU
Rock Chalk Jayhawk travels can inspire others to save and step out of their comfort zones and explore the beauties and wonders this world has.
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