DieBlaueReiterin

i just graduated from UCLA this june. it was a struggle, between working to pay my own way, studying to keep up my GPA so i can get into a good law school someday, and dealing with all the shallow, spoiled and materialistic people in los angeles, but damn, was it worth it. the day i graduated was seriously one of the best days of my life: not only because i realized one of my biggest goals, but also because my family came from northern CA and my friends came from everywhere to watch the ceremony! the ceremony itself was so much fun. there were only 8 people in my department (out of about 300 participating in that ceremony) and we were the only ones who threw our caps in the air. also, we’d all lived in germany together the year before, so on the cards that were handed to the dean reading our names, we each made up a middle name that referred somehow to some “in-joke” from when we lived there. to all the people out there who think they can’t afford it or just want to give up-stick with it, because not only will you be so proud of yourself, but people will respect you more! seriously.

i lived in germany my junior year of college, and they get a 2-month spring break, from mid-feb to mid-april. i backpacked the entire time. i visited poland and the czech republic alone, then met a friend for hungary, italy and greece, and then we met 2 more friends and traveled thru spain and portugal. it was both one of the best and one of the hardest times of my life, especially when with my friends! you’ll be shocked at how strenuous traveling on a budget can really be. we often slept on overnight trains (or in empty and freezing train cars!) to save money, so we were continually sleep deprived. we lived off canned beans, bread, and fruits/veggies from farmer’s markets, with the occasional dinner out, carrying our food around in a plastic “gypsy bag”. we had one backpack each and we’d do laundry in hostel sinks (much to the consternation of the owners), or take it in the shower with us. more space in my pack was dedicated to books, a towel and an umbrella than clothes. we took trains everywhere, except the iberian peninsula, where train service was shady at best and we rented a fiat punto (the etymological similarity to ford pinto is no coincidence!). i’d still consider this backpacking, because while it was easier than train travel since we didn’t have to lug our packs onto public transportation in each new city, we did have to deal with crappy maps and the confusing layout of most european cities. while backpacking, especially in a group, it can often be hard to manage things-someone is always tired, hungry, thirsty, cold, hot, bored, impatient, needing to use the bathroom, been pickpocketed, etc…not to mention, we were often lost! yet, the experience of seeing so many cultures and beautiful places and fascinating historical sites (not to mention meeting fellow travelers) makes all the stress (and occasional life-flashing-before-your-eyes fear) soooo worth it! i learned so much about myself and life and people…i really recommend it to everyone before “settling down.”