“Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will always return.”
- Leonardo da Vinci
Ironically, it was sitting on a British Airways flight to London, plastic fork in hand, when I first read those words. That was over a year ago and I still wonder where the time has gone. Yet I remember that it was during that trip that I quickly developed a taste of excitement unlike any I had ever savored before.
I am not the traditional sort and thus, my undergraduate studies at APU have been far from such. This is my third semester abroad. What can I say … I have a slight addiction to exploring the world beyond Azusa.
I do not own a business suit or a single button-down shirt which requires ironing. There is no time for that when you are living out of a suitcase. I prefer to not work in an enclosed classroom or at a desk for that matter. I often find myself drawn outside by a single sound or touch of the breeze. I thrive in the most unusual environments and have found that through the written word, I find a sense of peace and serenity even when the chaos of the world around me appears uncontrollable.
It is early in the morning as I put these thoughts to paper. The sun is rising over the side of the plane. I sit silently in my seat and watch as the sun creeps into the slivers of the small gray window shade, ray by ray the colors begin to dance upon the walls.
I am headed somewhere new this time, somewhere I never thought I would travel too. I will be studying for the next four months at Lithuania Christian College in Klaipeda. Lithuania is located in eastern Europe for those of you who are wondering (don’t worry I had to find it on a map at first as well).
I have no idea what to expect. But I also remember that when I studied for a year in Nicosia, Cyprus, I held the same feelings. However, I expect this adventure to be much different from my last. For one, it is freezing in Lithuania right now, which differs greatly from the warm beaches which greeted my arrival in Cyprus.
Additionally, this is my last semester of college, which means come May 5th, the doors are wide open. This fact creates a sense of excitement within me, but it also rattles my nerves. For the first time in my life, the world seems full of opportunities just waiting for me. Every decision I make will greatly influence the next several years of my life.
The stewardess interrupts my thoughts and offers me a cup of coffee. I take it enthusiastically. I have an exciting day ahead and every bit of caffeine is sure to help. Even after dozens of early mornings such as this one, sitting on a plane with butterflies dancing wildly in my stomach, watching the sun light the world around me still takes my breath away.
From across the ocean,
Jessica
