wish my name were irish

i recently met someone else who did an SIT program. part of my whole june freak-out about not going abroad was because of the nature of SIT– structure and rules and schedules and ONLY 14 PEOPLE ON MY PROGRAM (!!!!), etc. she basically confirmed all of my anxieties about SIT but still had this overwhelmingly positive attitude about it. apparently, there IS a lot of hand-holding, the lectures ARE boring, and the work is easy. but of course, she lovedddddd it.

but maybe it will be nice to have someone holding my hand throughout the experience. usually on big trips or travel, i’m the one making the plans. even on family vacations. spring break 07 anyone?? nazi emily? and i get really stressed out and there are some low points on the trip where everyone hates me. but with SIT doing all of the planning and taking care of every little detail, maybe i will learn to be less of a control freak and just enjoy myself.

learned to ride a bike recently (yes, that’s right, i didn’t learn how to ride a bike until i was 20 years old….keep laughing). i feel like my travel anxiety even traveled over to biking. every muscle in my body was tense while i was on the bike while a million scenarios of how i might injure myself played over in my head. it was a stressful experience.

in ireland, my muscles will not be tense. i will let SIT hold my hand and teach me the wonders of the IRA and Sinn Fein and take me to the irish countryside and run through cobblestone streets in the pouring rain.

this is what i do when i’m stressed and not riding a bike.