The cleanup of the room last night was a little bittersweet, as I had lived there for almost a year. I made some great friends there and have great memories of it. And though we had to clean up after Hunter, the American PhD student who literally never cleaned anything or helped us clean the kitchen to move out, the job got done.
And to end my time in that dorm on a high note, I told Stella I had a crush on her six months ago, something that should or should not have been said until now depending on who you ask. I felt great doing it, and though it was really weird to leave it until the very last second, it's better late than never.
With my bags all packed with less than what I arrived with, I set off for the train station. It was pretty depressing walking away from Corfe House. But this just signifies the end of one thing and the beginning of another. While cleaning the room last night, I reflected on the fact those were my last few hours living in this room on the 7th floor of a dorm that gave me an excellent view of the harbour. No longer will I have a view of Old Harry Rocks, Brownsea Island or Corfe Castle. Most of my friends have left for their respective homelands or new jobs. Suddenly, my world is very different, upended by fate and the future.
I still have about two weeks until I return to California on Sept. 9. In the meantime, I will stay with Danny (whose flat is literally right on the beach) and visit Disneyland Paris with Angel for five days. Unfortunately, my funds are starting to run out particularly after the trek to Scotland, and we will have to lie low in an expensive city.
About my dissertation, it's pretty much done. All I have to do now is print it, bind it and hand it in. There are 55 pages total. Can you believe I've traveled more this summer than I've worked on this thesis? I still got it done! Next challenge, please.
30/8 - I already miss my flatmates. Saturday was emotional because my routine has again been shredded (so suddenly too), and for the fact I can't have a beer with Tim or cook with Stella. I'm going to miss everyone on the top two floors.
I already feel like it's a memory fading away from me, just like the thunderstorm I watched while lying on the beach at 1 a.m. Silent yellow and white flashes lit up the distant sky towards the Isle of Wight, and that storm perfectly represented my time here. It was crazy, memorable and intense, but the tail end of it is fading away into little more than a memory.
While lying there, I once again marveled attempt he fact I've lived in Europe for a year. A YEAR! That thought is absolutely flabbergasting. This opportunity is easily the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. It has helped shape my view of the world and truly showed me the magic of travel. It helped me realise I want to do something that benefits humanity for a career. Coast guard? Firefighter? Peace Corps? I'm already thinking about the next big thing I'll do with my life, and it has to be big. It has to make me shit my pants. Most importantly, it has to be challenging. Though I've constantly bashed this university, the final three months was a challenge. But I overcame.
And one more thing this year has taught me: I can do anything.
31/8 - I think I'll go ahead with the Coast Guard idea. It'll be something that is challenging, and something that is actually a benefit to fellow humans. Like I said, I want to do another big thing with my life.
Danny and I went to Okeford House to say goodbye to one of our friends. This is a dorm I wanted to live in before I came to BU. It is very close to campus, and I remember seeing it online. I wondered vaguely how things would be different in this dorm; hindsight is good for that. But it's also a waste of time. What's the point of looking back and wondering how things could have been? Things are the way they are for a reason. That's it. This is also a place I met more cool people such as Ariel from Taiwan. We hit it off immediately, and she is another contact in an Asian country should I choose to make the plunge and go there.
Angel and I snagged an agreement with a Couchsurfing host in Paris. I have a feeling this will be a very positive first experience for Angel. Our host is 58-year-old Pascal. He's the director of a dance academy and a masseuse, and he doesn't book more than 2 surfers at a time. He's also a gay nudist, and the fact I've done a nude photoshoot sparked his interest; it's something we have in common. Though I wasn't looking forward to this trip a few days ago because Paris isn't my favorite place, it'sshaping up to be another worthy-for-Michael travel story.
9/1 - It's September, and that means one thing: my dissertation has been submitted.
It was great to submit. I'm done. It's another accomplishment. I will leave the United Kingdom having accomplished everything I set out to do, which is live in a new country, travel, make memories and get a Master's. The reputation I leave with is a person who is chill (horizontal in the words of Bill), up for anything at any time and someone who gets around, not afraid of any adventure. The whole point of entering this program is to see if I could do it. A year ago, I saw this as another chance to be the student I never was. Fast forward to today:
Nope.
I'll never be the perfect student. Academia just isn't my thing. I don't like how you're discouraged from enjoying learning; instead students go through school focused on passig some test or parroting other views and ideas from other writers in essays. But now that doesn't matter, as I've completed a thesis, which is far and away the longest paper I've done (14,666 words).
So now I have two weeks until I start at
The Recorder. Next stop: Paris.
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