Three, two, one - Counting down to California

I leave for California in a couple days and will not surface again for another six weeks. Because of this absence, I thought it best to have one last update before signing off.

I had originally thought that I would be able to blog while in California, but it looks like I will be camping in the wilderness for the full six weeks. In other words, in between running from sasquatches, spearing fish and foraging for berries, I will have no opportunity to blog...alas...

On a serious note, I think it appropriate to express my hopes for this trip.
First, I hope to gain more appreciation for nature and conservation. As humans, we tend to take advantage of such things, and not pay enough attention to maintaining a healthy, sustainable environment- let's clean up our acts folks!
Second, I hope to find out more about what I want to do with my life. Is research what I am destined for? I have my doubts because I feel that I would be a waste of academic resources. I have accepted that I am not the sharpest tool in the toolshed and to be a researcher, one has to have drive, creativity and expertise. I feel that I can contribute to humanity in other ways that would flatter my strengths. Hopefully this trip will give me insight into this...
Third, I hope to have the time out there to really get to know myself better and to accept myself through and through. I hope the solitude (though there will be a grad student with me) will be a refreshing change to the hectic life of a university student, where clubs, volunteer work, and classes have me surrounded by people 24/7. Priorities are also skewed I find in the university setting, where I feel marks determine self-worth.
Lastly, I hope to really toughen myself up. I must admit that thus far, my parents have done a truly splendid job in sheltering me from the world's harsh realities, and it is time that I break away. True, I am not going to harlem, nor am I exposing myself to things like poverty and disease. But I will be going to the bathroom in a hole in the ground, maybe even using nearby leaves as toilet paper. I will also be limited in the number of showers I can take and the types of foods I can eat. Furthermore, during the day, I will be toiling in the heat of the sun, crouching over plants with aching muscles attempting to cross-pollinate flowers. I think this will be the closest I will ever get to understanding what Grandma's past farming experiences were like, and that is truly inspiring.

Ultimately, I hope to come back refreshed and motivated to make change. (I have high expectations for this trip, don't I?) Maybe I will come back as the same person who left. If that is the case, well...fortunately I think I will be ok with that too.

I hope to see you all when I get back. Have a safe and happy May/June.