I’m stuck in a lull, looking forward to the future and reminiscing about the past but somewhat discontent with the present. All of my friends have gone back to school, and while I don’t envy the loads of work they’re incurring again, I do miss having my 25 closest friends all within a few blocks of each other. I never realized how much I would miss the simple things like Friday nights on the Corner and movie nights with the girls. Not that watching Wife Swap with my mom on a Friday night isn’t great, but this prolonged break has reinforced for both me and my parents the fact that I could never live at home after college. So while they don’t have to worry about being like the parents on The Cosby Show, I should probably start looking for a comfortable cardboard box now — or a rich husband.
At this point I wouldn’t even mind having a bit of reading to do or a test to study for. I know, I know, saying that now is going to come back and bite me later when my friends clip out this column and present it to me when I complain about the amount of work I have in the fall. And it will all be worth it when I’m finally in Lima, but I’m starting to go stir crazy. My hometown of Leesburg, Va. has a limited social scene — outlet mall, fast food, Civil War stuff — and the highlight of my past week was helping my grandmother to catch a mouse that’s been living in her cupboard. Actually that was pretty funny, but I digress.
My friends who are studying abroad have all started their adventures, and while I know great experiences are awaiting me in Peru, I don’t leave for another five weeks. Five very long and painful weeks. The good news is, I have copious amounts of time to Facebook-stalk my friends (and random acquaintances). The bad news is, it makes me more depressed. They all seem to lead exciting lives while I’m chilling at home with my parents whose social lives are more active than my own at the moment. That hurts.
Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate the fact that I can finally read some books that aren’t required for classes and visit friends who I don’t usually have time to see during the school year. I also got a chance to attend the inauguration, which I probably wouldn’t have missed class to go to. And my bank account is pretty appreciative as well. I’m working, my parents are paying for groceries and I don’t have to pay for rent or laundry. Nevertheless, I’m ready to jump on a plane right now to start my semester.
Because I don’t think that’s really an option, I’ve been attempting to improve my Spanish skills, which are somewhat questionable since I haven’t used them for two years. I rented a few movies in Spanish and begrudgingly realized that to understand the plot and dialogue, I really did need to turn on the subtitles. I’ve also been watching some of the Spanish language networks on TV and enjoying such classics as the ridiculous variety show “Sábado Gigante” in addition to various telenovelas (soap operas) and talk shows. One perk of living in Northern Virginia is the ease with which I can find newspapers, magazines and other publications in Spanish; however, it is both depressing and nerve-wracking that it takes me almost an hour to read a simple newspaper, especially because I plan on taking three classes in Spanish this semester. I know I won’t be complaining about boredom then!
Things are looking up though. I’ve sent out frantic e-mails to friends asking them to please take me in for a few days and a couple have replied already. Also, the program has promised it will be purchasing our plane tickets soon, which means I have a visit to the Peruvian consulate to look forward to. Once I start getting the tickets, my visa and the plethora of vaccinations Student Health will try to convince me are absolutely necessary, I think it will all begin to feel real and my level of excitement — and anxiety — will increase. But for now, feel free to send me any assignments you don’t have time to complete — or at least put something interesting on Facebook.
Rachel’s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at r.gottlieb@cavalierdaily.com.
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