Intern International

   Spring has lulled me into a quiet routine—the kind that comes before a big event. The kind that comes when you know you have to "lay low" or you'll go crazy. That's how I feel with anticipation of my parents' arrival and the soon-to-follow trip to Greece. If I don't live quietly and try to enjoy the little things in life now, I won't be able to wait for the bigger things. The logic makes sense in my brain even if I can't express it here.     I have recently read Anne of Green Gables and have been watching the show with my friend, and currently, I'm just trying to live an Anne of Green Gables type of existence. I think often of two specific quotes from the book, "Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them," and, "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly like pearls ...

   Since we technically run on a Trimester schedule here at Bogi, I had a week-long break last week and had to come up with a trip fast. I've reached the point in my year abroad where I've accomplished all the important things or will achieve them soon. I've done Italy twice, I have a school tour coming up for Greece, Norway is simply not in the cards for winter travel, Turkey is something I want to wait to do until I can dedicate more time and finances to it, and Scotland must wait because I won't do it without my sister. Those are the major destinations in the "area", so since all of those are accounted for in some way, shape, or form, I'm content to just go wherever with whoever, whenever.      So me, Keegan, Keith, and Karis headed to Slovakia. Bratislava was a really cute city, but very small, so we struggled a bit to fill our time. We wanted to take some trips to castles in the surrounding countryside, but our plans fell through because there was a l...

   Crocuses and Snowdrops are beginning to bloom in the mulchy beds where last summer's flowers were, which means spring is not too far away. The appearance of the winter flowers seems to have tricked the sun into coming out a bit more than usual lately and I've used this time to steal a few of its sweet rays. I enjoy walking down to the nearby castle. Its quaint spires reflect on the green pond, casting a dancing image over the swans and coots that live on the bank. If you walk around to the other side, the castle courtyard opens into a lawn that's emerald even in winter. It is bordered on one end by a stone chapel and is home to an old grove of trees, which let the yellow sunshine through in liquid shafts. In summer, the banks of the pond are overgrown with ivy. Snails and frogs live under their shady leaves and birdhouses and suet attract nuthatches, Eurasian robins, and tits.     A low stone wall keeps the rising river waters from flooding the lawn, and if y...

    After realizing I am down for pretty much any outdoor adventure, Kendra invited me to go on a 12-mile snowshoeing trip. I promptly said yes. Touring the cities in Europe has been a thrilling experience, but the more I do so, the more I feel like I'm missing something pivotal. The longer I have thought about it, the more I've realized it's the outdoors. I have the keen sensation that I'm not really seeing the countries I visit, not in their entirety. So, I've been trying to think of more ways to get outside and see the countries from other perspectives. After talking it over, I might be going on a hut-to-hut trip through the Dolomites with Kendra and we also want to make plans to backpack in Norway this summer. We'll see what happens, but at least I had this little adventure to look forward to.    Kendra invited me and one other friend; Jose. Jose is a volunteer from Panama and a good friend to both of us. The plan was to meet up with another friend who lives...