John Steinbeck said, “people don’t take trips – trips take people.”

This really got me thinking. Artful syntax aside, these words made me reevaluate my paradigm of what study abroad should be.

Vienna Vienna Vienna….probably the most mentioned city in any of my conversations concerning my academics or my life. Fascinated by its rich imperial history, ever changing cultural scene, and avant gaurdism as a center for progressive socialism, Vienna has always captured my imagination, and more importantly,  my heart. However, coming from the inner city, this Boston based son of Honduran-immigrants, has yet to fully comprehend all that Vienna is.

To be quite honest, I’ve been avoiding writing this blog post.  However, now that holiday distractions have come and gone, and the start of the spring semester is still two weeks off, I’ve quickly ran out of poor excuses to delay it any longer.

Why have I been avoiding this post?  Well, despite the fact that I’ve been home for nearly three weeks, I’m still not ready to really close the door on my abroad experience.

As I sit drinking an afternoon cup of tea at home in Fairfield, Iowa, I’m dwelling on the fact that in a week’s time I could very well be having a similar afternoon tea halfway across the world in London. I’m dwelling on the start of the New Year, a year I will spend largely away from home in a country I’ve never visited. I’m dwelling on resolutions: to seize newness and difference, to step out of my comfortable bubble, to just go.

It’s been two and a half weeks since I arrived at home, and I’ve enjoyed every minute. The four essential Fs (Friends, Family, Fun, and Food)  have been pleasingly prevalent, and it’s been great to enjoy them and all of the other things I missed about the States during my semester abroad. It’s been like a vacation from a vacation, if that’s a possibility.

So the tortuous work of last week has now turned into a mad dash to pack our luggage. Yesterday I made a quick trip to the Shanghai Science and Technology Market to buy emergency suitcases. I ended up buying a huge one for ~$30 US. We’ve all been scrambling to finish our “Shanghai Bucket lists” before going home. One of the top things on my list was having my last meal at Abbey Road in the French Concession. I won’t bore you with a food critic but just know that, if you’re ever craving a great burger in Shanghai, definitely check it out.

I’m writing this as I prepare for my last week in Shanghai. Firstly, it’s FREEZING in Shanghai now. I wish I had listened to my parents and brought more warm clothing. I ended up having to buy a good amount of warm clothing here in China. SUFE University has been too cheap to turn on the heaters in our Chinese class (they say it’s not cold enough) even though it has been in the 40°’s. Every class we beg for 空调 (air conditioning) but to no avail.

It was just past four o’clock when we lost power.  The soft lights strung about the Christmas tree flickered and went out, and the various electrical hums around the house all ceased at once.

As my departure for my study abroad experience draws near, the words of a traditional Irish blessing I learned as a child come to my mind: “May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.” What comforting words to keep in mind as I embark on one of the biggest and greatest journeys of my life to Dublin, Ireland!