Industrial tourist? Or do I live here?

I've been thinking about this post for the past month and have written in over and over in my head, and at least five times on paper. Everyday I discover something new and though it may be the slightest new perspective, I feel like it renders my previous musings completely outdated. So here is my latest version I just wrote tonight:

Since I've been here, I have been struggling with the notion of industrial tourism. I don't want to be one of those people, as Edward Abbey characterized (and I wish I could quote but I don't have the book with me) in Desert Solitaire, that drive around in their box of a car, faces glued to the window, "seeing" all the beautiful scenery and other such wonders of the world. I want to get out and really see things. Take more time in one spot, travel less, and experience things. Yet there is a part of me that keeps nagging at my adrenaline, trying to convince me that I should always be moving, always occupied, always socializing, always traveling, sightseeing as much as I can, never having a dull moment . . . but that is unrealistic. Perhaps if I had more money I could do so, but I don't; and money is that other obnoxious villain that incessantly creeps in my shadow while I am here (and when I am at home).

Four and a half months is too short. It takes time to settle in to a place, figure out where things are, meet the right people, establish relationships; you can't force bonding or memories. There is too much to see here -too much that I want to see here. I want to say I have seen Stonehenge with my own eyes, visited all the castles in Aberdeenshire, and stood on the northernmost point of Scotland in the Shetlands. I want to take advantage of being on this side of the Atlantic (because who knows when or if that will happen again), but I don't want to do it thinking I am ticking things off a list.

I am on my spring break right now -three weeks of no classes (this school system is ridiculous!). A few of my international friends are doing what I would call a power-trip of Europe. Cramming in all the cities and countries they can. This seemed a little much for me, and since I had hoped to do so before I left America, I am going to visit my Gustavus friends Raelene and Lauren where they are studying. Tonight though, I met another American girl who is also backpacking across Europe, and the way she described it made me remember how much I used to want to do that. But, this was the first time I really had that feeling and it really is not a regret. I am waaayyyy excited about my adventure plans. And very excited about the last stretch of time in Scotland that awaits me when I come back.

So, if you are curious, here are my plans:
Sunday the 29th I fly to Dublin to visit my friend and former roommate Raelene. I am sleeping on her floor until Wednesday the 1st when I fly to Nantes to stay with Lauren. On Saturday April 4th we take the train to Avignon with four of her friends for a bike trip across Provence. Then we end up in Nice on Wednesday the 8th, I think, and spend the next few days on the beach of the French Riviera. On the night of Friday the 10th I fly back to Dublin to spend Easter with Raelene. On Monday the 13th I fly back to Aberdeen to miss the first day of my week-long forestry class. Oh well. Tuesday the 14th through Friday the 17th I am in my forestry class traveling around forests of Northern Scotland. I think we are based out of Inverness. Saturday the 18th I wake up in Aberdeen and that day and Sunday the 19th I spend at CUBE –a Frisbee tournament on a beach a short drive north of Aberdeen. On Monday the 20th I sleep and start thinking about the essays I have due that week and the next and try to remember to balance my industrial tourism and life that I just wrote about in a very short eight weeks.

Pretty packed after all (try adding two or three more countries!). I am so pumped. :)
Just hope I packed the right stuff -and not more or less than I need! (Yeah right.)

Catch you all later-
Karen

P.S. Far more to say about this subject than what I wrote. Life is amazingingly huge. :)