Well, I'm home....or am I? What is home? It's a question we discussed on end this past weekend at the Watson conference, but it is one that shall never truly be answered.
One question that was answered, however was, "Is Meola's as good as I've been dreaming about for a year?" The answer, "INDEED." Yes, I missed my loved ones, I missed my stuff, I missed America, but I REALLY missed my ice cream. Mmmmmm, Mint Patty Explosion! (I'm still not sure who the guy is in the picture with me).
Is home where you live? If it is...then do I not have a home as I continue my nomadic lifestyle until I find a job and a place of my own? Or do I have countless homes all over the world where I have temporarily lived, including all of the couches that have already been offered to me since I've been back? Is home still Utica, where I probably haven't spent more than two weeks at
a time in the past three years and where all my stuff from college still awaits for me to unpack it?
If home is indeed "where the heart is," then I suppose my home is just the world itself. This past year, if anything, has reaffirmed my faith in humanity itself. My mom wants me to write a book entitled, "How to Travel the World for a Year and Not Pay for a Single Night's Accomodation." But it's not all that difficult. All you have to do is reach out to the world and the world will reach back. Despite delving into so many varied projects over the course of our journeys - from "finding the perfect beat," to singing protest songs, to playing ice hockey - I realized at the conference that every Watson fellow ultimately had the same experience and came "home" with the conclusion that what we really learned over the past year had little to do with our actual research projects and everything to do with meeting wonderful people, who opened their homes and hearts to us and welcomed us into their communities without hesitation (except perhaps the Danes, who are just a wee bit hesitant at times!).
But now I'm back. The Watson journey is over and the Life Journey is just beginning. What's next? I haven't really got a clue. For now it's crashing on Caitlin's couch yet again until I find gainful employment and a place to live and although I've got many reservations about being back, fearing that life at "home" may seem utterly mundane compared to my fellowship year, I am so excited about having a place to call my own at last - unpacking my suitcase, decorating, sleeping in a BED!, knowing where everything is in the kitchen! As for employment, I've got a few resumes in to various jobs, but it seems like the front-runner is Americorps. I've got this increasing desire (especially after this year) to make whatever I do in life a means of contributing positively to the world. Yes, yes, I know that I can make a positive contribution in whatever field I choose and one can always volunteer and stuff in one's spare time, but I need to do more. Unfortunately, my fellowship year did not, as I had hoped, leave me knowing what I want to do. Rather, it's only left me more confused. I want to be a writer, I want to go to culinary school, I want to travel, I want to do something in the International Relations field. No, they're not all mutually exclusive, but the question is, "what next?" So Americorps should be good because it is a job doing meaningful work without having to do solely volunteer work or travel abroad, it will force me to make a decision when my stint is up, and it will keep me constantly aware of the world I so want to help positively impact.
There is so much more, but I want to post this before I wait any longer and it never goes up (I started it about 2 weeks ago). I shall return, perhaps having a swell new "job" to tell you about. Until then, stay safe, live well and if you want to donate any money to the "Meghan is now jobless and poor now that TJW isn't funding her life anymore Foundation" feel free to shoot me an email.
If home is indeed "where the heart is," then I suppose my home is just the world itself. This past year, if anything, has reaffirmed my faith in humanity itself. My mom wants me to write a book entitled, "How to Travel the World for a Year and Not Pay for a Single Night's Accomodation." But it's not all that difficult. All you have to do is reach out to the world and the world will reach back. Despite delving into so many varied projects over the course of our journeys - from "finding the perfect beat," to singing protest songs, to playing ice hockey - I realized at the conference that every Watson fellow ultimately had the same experience and came "home" with the conclusion that what we really learned over the past year had little to do with our actual research projects and everything to do with meeting wonderful people, who opened their homes and hearts to us and welcomed us into their communities without hesitation (except perhaps the Danes, who are just a wee bit hesitant at times!).
But now I'm back. The Watson journey is over and the Life Journey is just beginning. What's next? I haven't really got a clue. For now it's crashing on Caitlin's couch yet again until I find gainful employment and a place to live and although I've got many reservations about being back, fearing that life at "home" may seem utterly mundane compared to my fellowship year, I am so excited about having a place to call my own at last - unpacking my suitcase, decorating, sleeping in a BED!, knowing where everything is in the kitchen! As for employment, I've got a few resumes in to various jobs, but it seems like the front-runner is Americorps. I've got this increasing desire (especially after this year) to make whatever I do in life a means of contributing positively to the world. Yes, yes, I know that I can make a positive contribution in whatever field I choose and one can always volunteer and stuff in one's spare time, but I need to do more. Unfortunately, my fellowship year did not, as I had hoped, leave me knowing what I want to do. Rather, it's only left me more confused. I want to be a writer, I want to go to culinary school, I want to travel, I want to do something in the International Relations field. No, they're not all mutually exclusive, but the question is, "what next?" So Americorps should be good because it is a job doing meaningful work without having to do solely volunteer work or travel abroad, it will force me to make a decision when my stint is up, and it will keep me constantly aware of the world I so want to help positively impact.
There is so much more, but I want to post this before I wait any longer and it never goes up (I started it about 2 weeks ago). I shall return, perhaps having a swell new "job" to tell you about. Until then, stay safe, live well and if you want to donate any money to the "Meghan is now jobless and poor now that TJW isn't funding her life anymore Foundation" feel free to shoot me an email.
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1 comment:
"home is where you hang your hat" or where you would hang your hat if you had one.
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