Dear Friends, Family, and Readers,

Thank you for your endless support as I prepare to depart for this trip. First, allow me to catch you up on my plans. At the end of August, I leave for Split, Croatia with Billy and Miranda. I will return to Arizona at the end of November from Amsterdam, Netherlands. I plan on starting college in the Spring semester, studying journalism and mass communications. This gap semester may come as a surprise to you, and I would love to shed some light on its origin.

My senior year was stacked with the weight of social expectations, academic goals, and extracurricular ambitions. Resting at the tip top of this crushing heap of demands sat one responsibility: choose my educational path after High School. I knew that the agency I had in my post-graduation decision was a gift. I had the opportunity to choose a place to learn that would inspire me and fulfill my learning needs. However, the responsibilities and the impending deadlines that came with that gift were burdensome. Halfway through the year, I could feel myself crumbling under the stress of Senior year (as I am sure other students felt as well). I was losing my greatest strength: my drive to learn. I found myself mourning the curiosity that is not just vital to every student, but also to every writer. This was the sense of wonder that drove me as I set out with my favorite notebook for summer camp in elementary school, and as I delved into Socratic-style debates with my peers in High School. It made me dance, sing, write, and think. My sense of wonder drove me to be myself in the most beautiful and human ways possible, and I could feel it slipping away.

At this time Miranda approached me about joining her for a semester abroad. She knew what she was doing- suggesting we start our trip by volunteering with a marine life conservation program. I grew up swimming, exploring tide pools, and pouring over books about sea creatures. My heart lept with excitement as I thought about the habitats we could help, the people we could meet, the art we could see, and the history we could learn firsthand from a trip to Europe. Those opportunities, however, are not what committed me to the trip. The sense of wonder that envisioning our trip gave me was exactly what I was hoping to restore in my life. I decided that this trip was a necessary part of my educational journey, and an opportunity to frame my college experience with a new set of ideas and interests. Because of this, I now consider traveling just as significant of an investment in my future self as attending college.

As I pack my clothes and prepare my travel documents, I also prepare myself to embrace the journey that lies ahead fully. I firmly believe that knowledge is earned. I hope for a safe trip, but not a conventionally perfect one. I am dedicated to inviting new experiences, gaining practical skills, and examining new perspectives throughout this trip. Just like the best books I read in school left my brain buzzing with questions, I plan to return to Arizona in three months with many more questions, as opposed to answers, about the world. I am grateful for each and every friend, family member, and teacher who has made this next step in my life possible, and I look forward to sharing this experience with you all through this blog.

Sincerely,

Sophia