Thoughts

So I have thinking a lot recently about just staying for half a year and not the whole year. Which is strange b/c it's the opposite of people usually do. But other people have made a lot of good points, albeit they come from the dbag, but whatever. It's time to put them down on paper so that I remember this later.

First of all, studying abroad isn't really about the studying. That may not obvious to most people. I didn't even realize it until today. Nobody goes studying abroad looking forward to taking classes and stuff. It's all about traveling. At least it is all about the traveling in Chile. So if I can fit in all of the traveling this semester, I don't need to stay the whole year. Besides what would I do the second half?? There isn't THAT much to do! If I want, I can extend my plane ticket in December. Maybe mom and dad can even come in Dec and we could go travel together. Not so sure about that =P But be back at Tufts on Jan 15. I will have SO much time to study. Weekends, 2 weeks in September, more holidays, it's insane, extended weekends. So I think it's totally doable.

I think my parents of course would be very happy to hear that I am coming home. Going away again in March til July would be so bad. And I could stay at home with them over winter break for sure, not go anywhere. Then I would go home as much as I can during second semester. I realize I do miss my mom and home a lot and I feel terrible that I don't spend more time at home. Even if it does drive me crazy.

I am also thinking of going to Talloires next summer. I would apply for financial aid/scholarship for the early deadline in mid Feb. Talloires starts right after the second semester until end of June. I could take classes that I really need for IR. Talloires is something I've been wanting to do since freshman year. And i've decided, I am going to do everything that Ive wanted to do at Tufts, and graduate with (almost) no regrets. Like I want to take CH, do epiic, so I will do it!!! And try my best!! Besides it would be my first time in Europe. I would def try to travel all over afterwards. Hopefully the Euro goes down by then. I could also do my capstone project in Europe, although I have no clue what I would want to do. I don't know if the money is just handed to us or what?? Hopefully other people I know do it too. people seem to have soo much fun and so many people go each year. Again, they offer a lot of good IR courses. And OMG I've always wanted to learn French, ever since i borrowed a french book from a friend in middle school and also I found out that the Sec General of the UN needs to know French =P Shouldn't be too hard...

I am also not paying to go to U of Chile, but Tufts. There are so many classes I still want to take at Tufts. And I want to have more flexibility in senior year. I also need to find a faculty adviser in the spring, very important. And start my research for senior year. I also of course miss doing extracurriculars, and I won't do any of that here, even though we have the internship. And I can finish a whole second major in Economics, PS, whatever. There's just so much left to do at Tufts, it excites me to think about what things I can do, and Im sad when I think about what im missing. And of course I miss everything about Tufts, the people, the school, Boston..

Problems..housing, getting used to it, regretting not staying, sighs.

Some of the reasons why I wanted to do a whole year.. and why I've changed my mind. Language ability, culture.. for me culture shock is not a big deal. The language, we'll see, of cousre I'll improve a lot and I hope that I can still use my Spanish in the future in the way that I want to use it, let it be for working with immigrant populations, etc.

I know it's way too soon to decide. We've only had 3 days of orientation. But I don't think I will change my mind. I don't think I'll end up loving it just sooo much that I will have to say for a whole year. I keep thinking, oh but I told so many people already, but hey, I have to do this for myself and not care about what other people think. Hopefuly they'll just be happy that I'm back and safe.

That is for all.. so I'm not sure, but at least I realized it soon enough. I just have talk to CG.

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