wanderlust

Usually I'm not one to rave about anything regarding my academics, but I gotta say that I love my language acquisition class. We learn about the formation of new languages, pidgin and Creole (no, not the one from Louisiana) and now we're concentrating on sign language. It's interesting to see what kind of confrontation arises from two or more different languages coming together, and amazing to see how quickly humans are able to overcome that block by creating a new language. It really is an extraordinary ability, to have language and grammar. And to have so many varying languages at that. Think of how many must have been created since the scattering of languages at Babel. And with that, the death and decay of languages. And since language is so connected with the culture, it's pretty crazy to think that there's new cultures, new groups of people emerging and others, dying away... God's so crazy and creative.

So thinking about all this made me think about the world. Which made me look at maps, again. Which led me to think about places I'd love to visit, again. Which led me to go off on travel fantasy and divert my much-needed midterm studying way off course. I always do this... making up mock itineraries with cool underrated but absolutely stunning locations, looking up flights and hostels, planning activities... then looking at the price tag and leaving the whole mess completely disheartened. Man. It sucks being a college kid. It's the one time in your life where you're actually physically the most able to go adventuring, you're willing and free from work, ready to absorb the cultures of the world and broaden your experience palate and all that and then it crashes because of money. Money money money.

But this time it'll be different. I'm at a point in my life where I really need to dislodge myself from this narrow-minded place called LA, even if it for just a little while. Mentally and emotionally, I'm just plain bored. So to put my last couple hours of internet searching on display, I've compiled a list of possible places to go after school ends. Thank goodness, I've been hearing all around that flights haven't been this cheap since who knows when. Preferably, immediately after graduation because flights will only go up as it gets into summer.

1. Peru - Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lima, Madre de Dios. I've always always always wanted to go to Peru with its ruins and greenery. And Spanish, of course.
2. Ireland. Flights are amazingly cheap ($300 round trip!), but I fear the euro once I get there, oh yes I do...
3. Argentina
4. Thailand
   
5. Somewhere in Eastern Europe...

Okay so not as detailed as I was really thinking/planning, but I figured nobody really wants to know the nitty gritty anyway. With the economy as it is and whatnot, does this seem selfish of me? I hope not. But maybe it is. Or maybe this is because I didn't get into my study abroad program. Or because I'm still feeling the burn of my spring break trip letdown. Or because I'm not going to Puerto Vallarta with everyone else. Anyway, if anyone's interested in seeing the world with me, holler.

Only two more months till graduation... insane.