My flight over was the best flight I have ever taken, mainly because the person sitting next to me was so interesting. This reminded me of talking to all of the passengers while commuting on the NJ Transit from Jersey to the city, although instead of spending 30 minutes getting to know someone, I had 6 hours.
The young man next to me was a graphic designer out of San Fran who had tons of interesting stories. Sometimes I think we are very caught up in seeing people for what they are instead of who they are. The passenger next to me was not just the guy I had to sit next to for 6 hours, but I got to know him as a person. Between iPods and Nooks and TVs in the seats, there is no human-to-human communication anymore. Talking with a stranger doesn't always have to end in them robbing you, as we are taught as children growing up in the Northeast. Knowing when and where a conversation with a stranger is important, but it could end up brighting your day more than you'd realize.
After meeting someone new on the flight and crashing at a friend's house after, I met all of the international students. They are from all over: France, Canada, Japan, Sweden; Illinois, Montana, New York, Kentucky, North Carolina, Connecticut... I absolutely love meeting new people from different parts of the world. It is an amazing way to get out of your comfort zone and open your eyes to something new.
Friday night, I ended up going to a friend's 22nd birthday party. I only knew him and his girlfriend but I went anyway, had a blast and met some really cool people. Sometimes going places without knowing too many people can be the greatest experiences.
The next night was my 21st birthday. A friend and I went to a Lebanese restaurant with live music for appetizers then we hit up The Brit (a local bar) for my first legal drink (and second...). Tequila sunrise was my drink of choice. We drank a bit and danced. I took a breath sitting at a table with a friend when an older guy (I'm talking grey hair) asked me to dance. He was way out of his age range and his friends were cheering him on. I yelled over the music "Just don't get handsy" and he immediately held up both his hands in innocence. I danced with him (a couple feet's distance was kept between us at all times). We had the whole bar watching. I know that story will be told and retold to his friends, bragging rights never relinquished.
After a fun night, a friend and I went to happy hour on Sunday, just because I could. It may seem like a lot of drinking, but I ended up spreading out my birthday celebration instead of one big sloppy drunk day. This way, I still remember it all.
Then onto classes. I am taking a capstone (senior project), a documentary making class, a course working on the school newspaper and an outdoor adventure sports course. My schedule is pretty light and I've got a nice long weekend to work on stories and posts for the other publications I write for.
In between all of this stuff, I rented a bike and took a few rides to Trader Joe's, the beach and to where a lot of my friends live. I'm so happy to be back here, enjoying the outdoors and living a laid back (but still productive) lifestyle.
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