So, the first couple of weeks...

have been a mixture of chaos, sadness, and everything in between. At the beginning I felt like I didn't know anyone and that I wanted to just give up and go back home. But I thought "When am I ever going to get the chance to get a degree while living in DC?!?" Then I realized how fortunate I am to be where I am today. Since being here I have made one of the greatest friends I have ever had and continued a friendship that already existed to the fullest capacity. Even though I miss people like my mom who is the prime example of "inspirational", my nanny who has shown what hard work and love means, my pawpaw Calvin who is the best father figure I have ever had, my nephew Branston who I love more than words can explain, and my sister Mya who is just beginning to speak, plus several others, I hope that they understand why I am here. This experience has the potential to open up so many new doors and I can hopefully inspire people to live life to the fullest capacity. I know that at times it will be the hardest thing I have ever done, but ultimately this is exactly what I wanted and I will not give up.

By the way, my friend Selam gave me this amazing poem when I was down once and it has kept me uplifted every time I read it. It is: 

SLOW DANCE

Have you ever watched kids

On a merry go round?

Or listened to the rain

Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Do you run through each day

On the fly?

When you ask "How are you?"

Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done

Do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores 

Running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short.

The music won't last.

Ever told your child,

"We'll do it tomorrow?"

And in your haste,

Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

Cause you never had time

To call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down.

Don't dance so fast.

Time is short. 

The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift...

Thrown away.

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower.

Hear the music.

Before the song is over.

 

Inspiration

I would not walk. I was my mother's first and only child, and at the age of two, I would not walk. In states of confusion, frantic at times, she shuffled me from doctor to doctor trying to obtain a satisfying reason. By the time I was three, she had her answer. I would not walk, ever. I had been diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy.

I cannot imagine the true sense of the word devastation, but it is the only word that comes to mind when I think of how my mother must have felt. At that time she was only a few years older than I am today. She must have had so many hopes and dreams for her only child. She must have had so many hopes and dreams for herself. Does one come to a screeching halt with such an unexpected twist of events? This was not just a twist of events for her, this was going to be a new life.

This is initially what I imagine my mother going through. I do not know this other than from stories that I have been told. But to me, she has been nothing less than inspirational, motivational and amazing. She has made me the person that I am today and the person that I aspire to become. She could not make me strong physically, so she has made me strong in every other aspect. She has shaped my thoughts and my views. She has taught me how to face fear head on and yes, she has taught me how to stand. One of the many gifts that my mother has given me is a simple quote, "If you can't stand up, stand out." I cannot stand 'up', but I can stand. I can stand against anything, and I can stand for anything. She has led me to know that all of those initial hopes and dreams did not wither away with the sound of the doctor's voice. We continue to dream. We continue to hope. We work toward these as if they are goals, which in a sense, they are. These are my mother's lessons.

Life brings many challenges our way on a daily basis. I will stand to face all challenges, and I will accomplish my goals because of the gift my mother has given. She gave herself, her being and her life to me. I am her first and only child, and I still do not walk in the literal sense of the word, but I do travel. Yes, I travel. There is no destination that is unreachable, and I will continue to move forward for the rest of my life. However far away from her I may be, my mother is always with me in the form of my thoughts. With every new challenge I meet, "I might not stand up, but I certainly will stand out!"

She is one amazing German...

Okay, so, there's this girl. It seems like we have known each other forever, but it's actually only been a little over a year since we met. Ever since then it has been a complete whirlwind of experiences. We talk every day usually, but only on AIM. You ask "Why?!"... well, she kind of lives half way around the world! In Germany!

So it all started about a year and a half ago when we met online in a Global Young Leader's Conference message board. All we knew then was that I loved German culture and she loved America and that we both were going to GYLC July 1-12, 2007 in Washington, DC and New York City. We continued to talk for over 6 months before actually meeting face-to-face at GYLC and instantly became best friends. We counted down the days until we would finally meet. She accepted me for who I am and I accepted her, and we shared so many great conversations. From emotional to flat out hysterical. So the day finally came, July 1, 2007, when we would meet. I spotted her from across the room and ran to hug her. We exchanged gifts, and I even snuck her up to my room to talk for a bit. haha! And then our trip ran into some trouble when I was hospitalized only 4 days later. But she still remained to be there and talk over text and AIM.

After our unfortunate time at GYLC we continued to talk online and we hoped of meeting again. FINALLY, after persuading her dad, she got to come to my house during Fall Break. And she also got here 1 day after her birthday. So, of course we had her a birthday party including a bonfire and craaaazy guests! :P  That week seemed so short, but we had so much fun and it was surreal that she was in my town.

So then we continued to talk and I asked her to come for prom. So luckily, it all amazingly worked out and she came for prom. We picked her up at the ATL airport on April 25th and then prom was on the 26th. Prom day started off with getting her hair and make-up done, where we then came home and got ready for the loooong night. Somehow she was ready before me, but when I saw her she was so beautiful! She absolutely looked stunning and I knew that I would have the prettiest prom date for sure. So we got tons of pictures taken to capture the memories, went to eat dinner, and then went to the big event. We danced and had a crazy adventure that night at prom. Then after prom we had an after party at my house with some people and we didn't go to bed until 4 or 5 in the MORNING! So we slept for a couple hours and then were off to take her back to the airport to leave... again. I think I even cried in the van missing her because it was such an unforgettable weekend. I can honestly say it was one of the best weekends of my life and such an amazing way to spend my Senior year prom.

Not knowing when we would be able to see each other again, I worried. But I was very fortunate to find out that I was going to Germany after graduation! And guess what! Her dad was sending my mom and I on a train to HER town! When in Munich, my mom and I jumped on the train to Wiesbaden, Germany to meet her family. Once we got there we got to meet her mom, dad, sister, and best of all, HER! She took us on a tour of her hometown and showed us all the sights. It was the most amazing trip ever and I couldn't believe that I was in her town with her...

So after the amazing trip to Wiesbaden, we have continued to stay in touch and are anxiously awaiting the day that we will see each other again. I can't believe that I have found my best friend in the world online just over 18 months ago and all that has happened between then and now. Ultimately, I want to say "thank you" to her for showing me everything she has and being the best friend that a guy could ask for. Thanks Casey! ICH LIEBE DICH!!!!

Reflections on Summer

So this has absolutely been the most amazing Summer of my life. I graduated on May 23rd and then two weeks later headed off to Germany and Austria for an amazingly beautiful vacation with my mom. The trip was just perfect! 

We started off in Munich, Germany and saw all the sights and even ate at the world famous Hofbrauhaus beer hall where I had my first German beer! WOO-HOOO! ;)  After Munich we headed up to Frankfurt/Wiesbaden to visit Casey and her family. Wiesbaden was also beautiful... and my mom actually liked it more than Munich! After a bit more time in Munich we headed down to Salzburg, Austria for a day excursion. Salzburg is the home of Mozart... as well as the delicious Mozartler chocolates! YUMMY! Overall, the trip was better than I could have ever imagined and I can't wait to go back one day.

After the trek through Europe, Hope, Mom, Randy and I headed up to DC for Colonial Inauguration. It's GW's 3 day orientation that is craaaazy! Hope and I even got to stay in a dorm on campus, Madison Hall to be exact. I think that we slept a total of 3 hours the whole entire time. haha! But it was soooooo worth it!!! And it got us totally pumped to be at G-DUB in August!  :-D

Now, I am just sitting in LaFayette anxiously awaiting for August 30th to get here... MOVE IN DAY! It's only 32 days away!!!!! Geez, I remember when I was just writing the essays hoping to get accepted and now the time is almost here. So weird to think back on how I have got to this point... Well, until next time "Auf wiedersehen!"