Future Plans

Well, the semester is coming to a close.

I already have three of my five classes completed, with A's I believe.  If they come back anything less I will be thoroughly disappointed.  I worked really hard this semester, and I'm not just tooting my own horn.  The online classes were rigorous and thick with material to read, absorb and reflect on, and the classes on campus required a great deal of work outside of class, in solo and group projects.  Finals week wasn't my hell week, it was the final projects in all of my classes which stressed and demanded the most from me.  I am relieved the semester is almost over.

And now I that I have a chance to breathe, I can look forward to everything that is planned for this summer!

Which is quite a lot, actually.

For those of you who don't know, I am spending the first half of my summer in Italy.  From May 17 to June 30 I'll be on a faculty-led study abroad trip, taking a photography and a history course.  The entire itinerary is pretty hectic, they plan a lot for us to do in a month and a half.  So much so that I can't remember exactly where I'll be going, but I do know we will be based out of Rome and travelling to Florence, Tuscany and Pompeii.  I am so fricken excited to get to go be somewhere completely new, I'm looking forward to the culture shock.  And with a camera the whole time!  Imagine the possibilities!  There are new places, new settings, new people, new architecture, new urban scenes, a whole entire culture to photograph.  I'll probably become much more active in my blog once I have something new to talk about every day!

And after Italy I venture off to Norway for a week or so to visit Rikke's country.  I know some about Italy and the famous places there, but I know jack diddly about Norway.  But from what I've seen and from what Rikke has told me of it, Norway is going to be so beautiful.  Thank goodness it will be the middle of summer, I would hate to be frozen the whole visit.  What will be even better is that I will be seeing the country with someone who lives there and can show me the hidden gems only a local would know.  I'm so fricken excited to get to go there too, and with someone as awesome as Rikke!  And I'll be photographing everything about this place too.  It's gonna be awesome amazing.

And then after THAT I fly back to the states for a one day before flying across the country, out to Portland, Oregon.  My dad has invited me to travel with him, my grandpa and possibly my little cousin up and down the west coast, first to attend the World Domination Summit, then visit Puget Sound in Washington, then on down to San Francisco, and everywhere in between.  Now that classes are almost out of the way, I have the opportunity to research where we are traveling and making lists of where to stop along the way.  I have a feeling my favorite ones will be the ones we don't plan, the ones where we branch of the road well-traveled.  And, again all with my camera, and with other photographers to share with and discuss.

It's gonna be an eventful summer, to say the least.

And a special thank you to everyone who helped put it all together.  Thank you to my family for the financial support backing my study abroad trip.  Some money came through in scholarships, but without you guys I wouldn't be going overseas this summer.  Thank you to Dad and Flo for planning the entire west coast adventure, and getting me into the WDS.  And thank you to Dr. Murphy of UNF, for helping with funding and planning the Italy trip.  The kindness you show me I did nothing to deserve and I am truly grateful for your efforts and involvement.  And thank you Rikke, for giving me a place to stay in your home country, which I am dying to see.

I couldn't be where I am today and wouldn't be where I plan to be without all of you, in one way or tons more you all have gotten me to where I am today.  I feel truly special to be given these opportunities.

Keep up with the blog in the coming months, it's most likely going to get a lot busier.