Here it comes, the part of the trip I was told about. Several months ago I was sitting in a booth at IHOP mulling over the decision between my usual Harvest Grain & Nut Pancakes...or if I was more daring, try something new, like the Salmon Omlette. My good friend Luke and I were discussing life and it's endless possibilities, because at the the time, spending a year in New Zealand had presented an opportunity. Luke had spent some time living in Haiti and says to me, "Here's whats going to happen. You could live ANYwhere in the world, and when the magic wears off, it will simply be..your life. The scenery may change, the food may look different, but after a while...it will just be your life."
He then proceeds to make fun of me for choosing the pancakes and says, "See there? You can be the girl who sticks with the pancakes which you know are good...or you could choose the salmon omlette and see how it goes."
So here I am in Australia, which is so very similar to America. But, I remember this same feeling coming over me in Costa Rica...in a short time we were simply going to school everyday and having fun on the weekends. It just became life. And, contrary to popular belief, even Abilene, TX felt magical to me during my first few weeks in college! Would you like to hear my thoughts and conclusions as of late? They are everchanging of course, but right now the consensus is: Luke was right.
In an attempt to be introspective...I believe life is about relationships. Whether short or long, I believe its people that shape us. Most of my memories consist of laughing/crying with people. Certainly, I have grown from everytime I've ever been nervous and challenged myself past what I thought i could do. Certainly, I have grown from every minute I've spent in nature, with breathtaking views that help me to remember how much bigger the world is outside my own life. But I would say the tools that have chiseled the whole of 25yr. old Carisse have been people. So why do we spend SO much time with the tv when there is a world out there to explore? With people wanting to meet you, cliffs waiting to be climbed, and stars by the trillions hoping you'll escape the citylights for a while.
Which is why I think it's good to travel. I think travelling encourages empathy and perspective. You dont really care about an orphan in Haiti until you go meet that little girl and feel the need to rescue. You believe the homeless population to be lazy until you get to know the history that led them to dispair. You think all rich people are out for greed and recognition until you meet a man who hasn't let his left hand know what his right hand has done. I am so, so, so excited about the possibility of becoming a teacher next fall. I would be involved in the lives of hundreds of kids and staff, with several weeks off every year to meet people all over the world! I know, I know, probably sounds magical until it just becomes my life. But at the moment, I am loving my life. Do yourself a favor. Go out tomorrow morning and eat a salmon omlette for me. MIIIISSSS YOOOOUUUU!!!!!
These are the cuties that live above us!
