8/24

Cold Feet

First day on the road. While the chaos still hasn’t slowed, we all seem to be running on empty. I personally am mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. This and leaving my girlfriend puts me in the grumpy state I was in today. I see Kate and Denver and feel somewhat ridiculous compared to what they are going through right now.
I worry about the well-being of our group. I want to be sure that everybody is going into this trip healthy. Being on Risk Management, I want to prevent people from coming into Canada fatigued, waiting to get cold, wet, and sick.
All my pessimism aside, it feels great to be out of Macomb. Makes me feel reassured that this is what I really want to do. Ryan put it best when he mentioned that for so long, young men have been going into the wilderness to find themselves. Hopefully that happens with all of us (women too)
ECOEE is far from perfect, and that is something we all have learned real quick. The way I describe it to many people is that I’m studying abroad, just not abroad. I came into this thinking it was perfect and much more structured. I couldn’t imagine having a list of things to do like Jeff and Kim’s. It’s amazing how much they have on their plates and are still walking, but I can honestly say that I couldn’t be happier seeing the change in Jeff now that we’re away from the University. He’s been smiling more than ever. Canada is creeping on us. And the workload isn’t getting any lighter, just different. Stuck in my memory is the chalkboard at horn with the word ADAPT on it. We all know this is the experience of a lifetime. WE are never going to be able to see our great country like this ever again. But more importantly is us dealing with different personality types, leading those personalities, leading your peers, and leading your leaders. These are skills that no classroom can harbor, and will put us that little bit ahead of everyone back at WIU sitting in a desk right now (suckers). When we are forced to adapt to any situation, that is exactly the ‘real world experience’ that is so often mentioned. Although it may seem like it’s going at a snails pace, we are all making great progress. I see it in all of us. Let’s continue to be the best ECOEE ever.
“There is no right or wrong, just different.”
-Me

-Sal