"It"

I've realized the onset of culture shock/homesickness have bit me by now (it's been a month). I've never been homesick before, and at camp we always had to call it "It." Well, I know what "it" is now!

The following quotes help:

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
-Theodore Roosevelt

"Finally, remind yourself that your desire, ability, and hard work have all combined to put you on that particular stage at that particular moment. Whatever destiny is guiding you is certainly not going to let you down at such a moment--IF YOU KNOW IT AND BELEIVE IT."- Phillip Farkas

"It is our choices...that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." -Albus Dumbledore (I love Harry Potter!)

Sieze the day, there's a good chance you'll never be "here" again.

It's so frustrating to have the simple things in life become so difficult; the store, unspoken gestures and cultural codes, knowing that you're going to be an outsider for awhile, loss of language...but I'm really giving it all a good shot, and I'm realizing that I haven't been good at "laughing at myself." For someone with a good sense of humor, this whole thing can be rather un-funny at times!

So I'm going out today, to practice, try to catch a standing room ticket at the opera, and maybe go to the cafe tonight to upload photos, etc.

Love you all, thanks for reading my blog-it means a lot to me! Promise everything is going well!
Tchuss!