what is most interesting to me about embarking on an adventure is the gradual fading of the grandiose expectations and postcard-perfect images, only to find the perhaps smaller (yet equally significant) encounters, conversations and human interactions. ships at a distance may, in fact, have every man's wish on board, but those wishes cannot be realized without first walking on the deck, feeling the creaking floorboards and hearing the salty language of rugged sailors.
i don't know what the next six months are going to hold - to continue with this cheesy ship metaphor, i'm heading into uncharted waters. while i expect to engage in many cultural, social and academic pursuits, i know that there are likely twice as many experiences that i can in no way anticipate.
as i explore and adapt to my new surroundings and consequent adventures and stumblings, i hope that these posts will allow for some further reflection about the (un)common experiences and the dialogue that i anticipate to have between different aspects of myself, with some comments from you all along the way.
thank you for joining me on this journey, i can't wait to see you all when i return to the states. with gratitude,
doria
