Prologue

With graduation behind me and the daunting task of deciding on a career path I decided, instead, on a trip around the world. So here it is: Norway for three months, France for three months, India for seven weeks, and Australia for four months. I loved what I studied and the security that comes with a job and a home were very appealing to me but I still could not shake the feeling that I had much more to learn before I could settle in. I need perspective, to do things I am not comfortable doing, survive on my own, experience different cultures and customs, open my eyes wide, quiet my ego, and find where my passion lies. I chose Norway because it has always been home away from home. So much of who I am is wrapped up in the Norwegian culture so what better way to ‘find’ myself? France I chose because, aside from it being…France…in Spring, I have taken over eight years of French and am hoping to get past that wall you can only break through by actually living in and experiencing a culture. My dear friend Annie and I have been accepted into a four week service learning program in India for an international health organization called Child Family Health International. So we will travel around visiting and assisting in HIV/AIDS clinics learning everything we can about public health in this setting and we plan on doing a bit of backpacking after we’ve completed the program. Australia, well, our winter is their summer so…
I count my blessings everyday that I have been able to manifest this for myself and I am eternally grateful to everyone who has helped me get to this place. To my family, friends, and loved ones I miss you more than you know and I take you with me wherever I go.