Depart from Hollywood Standards

“I have stolen glances at attractive Spanish men.  I was burnt, and impaled by splinters, in the town of Vilafranca.  I have spent the night with five people where only three should fit and left with both my sanity and my life.  I’ve never been expelled from university, but one time in 3^rd grade, I did get in trouble for reading past the late bell.  I tread over mountain passes with heavy packs that others fear to walk unburdened.  I have talked to valedictorians, loved cha, and written jokes to make my friends weep.  You may have heard of me.”

 **see note at bottom of post

This post isn’t a “what I did this week” palooza, because that feels wrong today.  This week was a good week, like every week so far. 

I will tell you that I’m very happy with my classes; I settled on Mediterranean Literature after all.  We read portions of Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh in class, which are wrought with interesting similarities.  Eventually, he’ll tell us who was “copying” whom.  In Mediterranean Cinema, we’ve been watching excellent, thought-provoking movies that depart from Hollywood standards, which pleases me.

Yesterday I wrote this rant, and since you guys get an epiphany-induced speech nearly every semester, I wouldn’t want to abandon tradition.

Be Mediterranean if Nothing Else

“The thought-provoking, somewhat outdated Mediterranean culture has thrust a myriad of ideas into my hands, for me to over-consider.  As a part of a large group of English-speaking Americans, I wish people were breathing in the culture more, instead of constantly tweeting/ instagramming/ facebooking/ tumbling.

Listen to me: the moments you remember are not the moments on the computer or phone or wasting your time.

I fear for a generation that creates horcruxes out of websites.  I fear for my group of kids who complain about: speaking Spanish, the food their host moms make, our university requiring registration paperwork, lack of WiFi, not being able to drink at school functions… the list goes on.  I fear for a world that wants to Americanize itself in an attempt to be happy, because I can´t be sure that America is all that happy.  I fear for each one of us on this blog in different ways.  I am a mother if nothing else.  This "fear" isn´t an active worry, just my hobby of thinking I´ve got it all figured out, when I actually have no clue.

I love you all, and I want you to be happy beyond all else.  Here, I feel happier than I have in years.  This semester is healing wounds I´ve been carrying around for too long.  I think I came here as a broken vase and I´m hoping to leave as a mosaic, if that makes sense to anyone besides me.  If you have the opportunity to study or live abroad and have at least a small desire to do so, I couldn´t recommend it more.  Foreign places (be they geographical or metaphorical) teach you a lot about your values and ideas, and provide the opportunity to meet incredible people.

I hate being that stereotypical quote person, but here it is.  John Muir said “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity.”  This year, I´ve found myself disgusted with the synthetic world we´ve constructed—inside, under synthetic lighting with our synthetic toys and synthetic food and synthetic social interactions, working synthetic jobs we hate. 

For me, this is what is genuine and worthwhile.  Backpacking is my paradise.  Travelling and living in a foreign country has been an adrenaline-addled adventure.  Eating, exercising, and goofing around with my favorite people; writing something I’m proud of; having conversations I’ll never forget; listening to the perfect song on a road trip—those moments where life jovially takes you about the shoulders and says "See, things can be this good."

From this idea spawns innumerable pieces of advice I could give you here, but I will say only this: find what speaks to your core and do that thing as much as possible.  Leave it to the martyrs to save the world—you, you be happy.  I think that there´s something very Mediterranean about that idea. 

And if you can look me in the eye and tell me Facebook and Tumblr are what make you happy, I will accept that.

I know there´s an author inside of me that would like nothing more than "John-Muiring" for the rest of her days, but thankfully, I think I have time to save the world as well.

Sorry I forcibly advice-columnized you all.”

And there you have it.

**Quote adapted from Patrick Rothfuss’s Name of the Wind, describing Kvothe, whose life is more interesting than mine has been thus far.

Kvothe's version: “I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs to make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me."