Post-Greece Mentality. THIS...IS...MONICA!!!

"I hope for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free." -Nikos Kazantzakis (Cretan writer, novelist)

That quote has been all up in my head since I ran into it. I ran into it in a small store in Athens, Greece, less than 36 hours ago. It was a black t-shirt, Greek words in white font, being sold for 7 EURO. I bought a medium, even if it meant that I wouldn't be eating dinner on our last night in Greece, I took the shirt because of the quote. Because of what Mr. Kazantzakis said.


Greece was amazing...nay, phenomenal. I have no words about how beautiful and exciting it was and how the entire trip felt like a dream. I was there for 10 days, but felt like months. I did it all.

• I got lost in the city of Athens.
• I climbed the Acropolis and slipped on its marble steps.
  
• I ate rabbit stew in Santorini.
• I sailed, swam, jet-skied and tubed the Aegean Sea.
• I went wine-tasting at the oldest winery in Santorini.
• I sun-bathed topless in Mykonos.
• I traveled by foot, on boat, via plane, by donkey, in a taxi, on a bus, in a train...
• I ate pork/lamb souvlaki as often as I could.
• I ordered calamari and fries while dining off the coast of Thissaria.
  
• I watched the sunset in the village of Oia.

There's so much more to say. So much more happened. The things I saw are left inexplicable. It's like that quote, that Marco Polo said on his deathbed, "I have not told half of what I saw."

And now, I'm back. Back in America, back in my world, back in the life I left. The question is, how am I going to live it? I know what I have to do. I also know what I want to do and what I need to do. It's all about finding the balance, right?

1. Study for the board exam to become a Registered Dietitan and take it by October.
   
2. Perfect my resume, all _ _ versions of them and write a cover letter to go with them.
3. Find a job that suits me perfectly. No excuses.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am back and better than ever!!! You'll see...

N. Kazantzakis photo courtesy
Acropolis photo courtesy

Opa! Internship's Ova!

Moving back home is always a challenge. Especially after I have lived on my own for the majority of the year. Especially if you have to go through your past, to make room for who you are now. It's always a challenge because sometimes, you purposely let go of bits and pieces of yourself, in order to grow. I've grown, undeniably, while I was in Michigan. But why, oh why, do I feel like I'm moving right back into my past?

I'm going to make some changes. I'm going to learn how to put my foot down. While living in Saginaw, MI, I rarely ever went out. Due to the lack of funds, lack of social life in a small town where nobody really knew my name besides the other interns who moved there. I learned a lot about myself this way. I've discovered more and more ways to entertain myself, without the company of others. I've learned how to be alone, even when I didn't want to be. I survived. I breathed in and out oh so very deeply. I grew up.

And now? Now, I need to grow some more. I can't keep running back into my mother's nest and hope that she will solve all my problems. I need to take the board exam to become a Registered Dietitian. I need to aggressively research for the jobs of my dreams. I need to dream big, aim high, and not look back. At least for now...just for now. Until I get back on track.

But for now? At least for the rest of the month, I, Monica, will leave the country. To remind myself that there is a world that exists outside of the one we live in. To experience culture shock when I get there, and reverse culture shock when I return. To live another life, to see a different world, to eat their food and immerse myself in their culture. To take pictures, to make memories, to be in good company. I need this for myself, my sanity, to fulfill my ongoing desire for adventure.

Village of Oios on the island of Santorini, Greece

Destination: Greece (Athens, Mykonos, Santorini)
Number of Days: 10
Number of Days Before Departure: 3?!

Photo courtesy http://www.theodora.com/wfb/photos/greece/greece3.jpg

Out with the Old. In with the New.

I spent the entire day today unpacking and doing loads and loads of laundry. I can honestly say that this whole moving back home thing? Is quite overwhelming...emotionally, mentally and physically. But I'm here, and I'm staying here, so what's the use of complaining?

My plans? I have none. Other than to unpack my life back into my old life. I'm trying to let go of a lot of things that I need to let go of. Like old t-shirts I don't wear, my broken record player, articles of clothing that have holes in them. It's really hard especially after I've become so attached to them. It's funny how even after I've graduated from this dietetic internship, the one thing I've been working towards accomplishing since I graduated undergrad in '07, I feel as though my life is "insane." I mass-texted a handful of my friends last night "What do you do when your life is insane?" and got the following responses:

"Just chill."
"I sleep. And I eat. And don't shower. I hibernate and hope that things pass me by."
"Take a break."
"Go on a getaway just by myself."
"Go do comfort things. Taco Bell. Shopping. Watch a movie in my pjs. Look through old photo albums."
"Listen to music."
"Hug it out."
"Go on vacation."

Moral of this story? All of the above.

Pit Stop: SANITY

Today I write about something different. Something unexpected. Something that's not being discussed in the news, nor being reviewed in journal articles.

Two days. I graduate in two days. TWO DAYS. I am seriously freaking out. I know it's hard to tell, given the fact that you obviously can't hear me nor see me. But I am, I REALLY AM.

What's keeping me sane? Honestly? Distractions. Lots of them. Even if I don't know what I'm going to do career-wise after graduation, I refuse to stress out over it. Distractions consisting of traveling, and spending time with the people I love.

Traverse City, Michigan

First stop? Traverse City. Traverse City because I've been wanting to go there since I've been here. Traverse City because it's all I hear about. It's all people talk about. Because it's wine country. Traverse City because it's the perfect place to take my family.

I don't think you have any idea how freaked out I am. I have a headache, for no reason. I can't sleep, for no reason. I've lost my appetite, for no reason. I am saying "no reason", when clearly there is a reason.

I'm scared because I don't know what happens after this. I'm scared because I know, deep down, that the time has come...to grow up. I'm scared because I'm excited, and because I know deep down that I'm really not scared...but more so, exploding with excitement. I'm scared because of the unknown, the once "unreachable"...because from here on out, I, Monica, pave my own path. I'm scared because I accomplished something, even when the whole world was against me way in the beginning of this journey towards becoming a Registered Dietitian.

Where are you? How are you? What are YOU doing to survive?

Traverse City photo courtesy http://www.traversecity4sale.com/files/225671/p2610.jpg