Kaleidoscope Clint

Affliction: Procrastination

2009-06-25T10:09:00.008+02:00

With only 3 days left at home and 6 days left in the United States, I should be prepared to leave this place for a year at least in terms of packing, but alas as usual I am not. I have clothing folded but truth be told I've not the faintest idea of where to even start to prepare for a year abroad. Logically I should be studying Spanish in my free time...seeing as it's a foreign language and I'll be living in Spain for a year; however I instead find myself each night looking at the clock and realizing that I've no reccollection of what I've done all day. The only thing I am usually certain of is that I've not accomplished anything on my to-do list (which I also need to write).

I see procrastination as a disease, a severe weakness that impairs my capability of preparing for leaving with ease and without stress. I can already see the situation 3 days from now: parents waiting in the car, I'm sweating like a clausterphobic turtle stuck in his shell throwing anything at hand into a suitcase and lugging it out to my less than sympathetic parents who've been telling me for a month to get organized. I deem it inevitable that this will occur. Nothing I can possibly do could prevent it.

On another topic, I suppose that I am quite excited to see that people have actually visited this blog, for you who are reading this I'm sorry it's 3:20 and I don't feel like sleeping.

¡Adiós América!

2009-06-24T01:54:00.007+02:00

Dear America,

This has been a big year for you and I. I've traversed 19 of your beautiful states(Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky,Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee...yes that took me forever to count) and made countless memories.

Despite my anticipation for a new life in a new country, I'll miss you dear homeland. Mainly I'll miss what lies within your stars and stripes: my family, my friends, my house, thunderstorms, pumpkin pie, lakes, parks, and the Amish.

Spain will undoubtedly make a large impression on me but you will always be my homeland and hold a special place in my soul. For now I say adieu, see you later, hasta luego and hello...ahem....hola to España.

¡Adiós América!

Photos top to bottom:

1. American Flag in Missouri

2. Beaver Lake, Arkansas

3. Thunderstorm in Fort Myers

4. Charleston, SC

5. St. Louis Arch, representing das Mutterland

6.Hanauma Bay, Oahu, Hawai'i

Chicago 2009

2009-05-10T00:10:00.004+02:00

Last weekend I went to Chicago for the first time even though I only live a few hours away. I went to apply for a Spanish visa, the pressure was intense. I was so worried that I'd forgotten some important document only to arrive at the Consulate and they flip through my papers as if they didn't matter. The whole procedure took approximately 5 minutes 47 seconds.

To me, Chicago wasn't that amazing, but I only walked around the downtown area. I plan to go back in a month and hopefully I'll see some of the neighborhoods. I think that most American cities are the same, there're always Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and Walgreens. The street scenes all look the same, I find that many city centers are so homogenized that they have no local character at all.

Perhaps, under different circumstances I would view this differently.

Overall Chicago was nice, but just that. I do however wish to return and see more of the city.

Barcelona 2007

2009-05-09T06:21:00.005+02:00

I've recently been accepted to study at the Universidad de Salamanca for an academic year. I leave in less than 2 months and lately I've been nostalgic of my time spent in Barcelona almost two years ago. I stayed in Barcelona for a month to study Spanish, but I had issues adapting to city life. I'm from a town of only 3,000 people, so living for 4 weeks in the middle of a city with millions of inhabitants was quite a change. I learned to take care of myself and discover quiet areas of a bustling city to cure my city-induced claustrophobia.

I await the next chapter in my life with excitement and hope that I can apply the knowledge and experience from Barcelona to Salamanca.
I took these photos in various parts of the city.

Atlanta

2009-05-09T04:50:00.002+02:00

No story, just photos I took on a spring trip to Atlanta in 2008.

Costa Rica 2008

2009-05-08T05:22:00.003+02:00

After high school, I departed for my first trip through a Latin American country. I was confronted with issues that are not as blatantly visible in the USA and Europe such as poverty and the environmental destruction.

After a year in college and several classes dealing with Latin American politics, I'm beginning to realize the injustice of the Latin American, North American relationship. The trip opened my eyes to an unknown world. It's troubling to know that poverty levels in other parts of Latin America (and the world) are much worse than in Costa Rica, a stable, peaceful, and relatively successful nation.

I look forward to learning more about major inequality in the world and I will always recognize this trip as the first step to being a more culturally aware individual.

I took the first two images on the streets of San José and the last two were taken in the gorgeous nature of Costa Rica.