I am more or less packed now, which is probably a good thing given that we are leaving tomorrow morning. It's so nice to finally be able to pack and not worry about liquids or a weight limit due to airline regulations.

Looking at my suitcase, I realize that there seems to be a "party" side and a "work/conservative" side. It's probably not noticeable in this picture, but the left definitely has all my party clothes. ;) And of course my latin, ballroom & salsa shoes are all packed up too, since I plan on taking private lessons when I get the chance. Last night I checked on the salsa dancing scene, and as I imagined, it is pretty hoppin' out there. Good thing I am finally 21 - means I can get into all the good salsa dancing places. :)






ITINERARY

We have one week (Monday-Monday) from the time we leave Massachusetts, to the time we need to be in Santa Fe, New Mexico. With no hotel reservations, and no other obligations (other than that Mom made us a reservation to see some performance in Amarillo, Texas on Saturday night....) we are FREE to do whatever we want, which is the way I wanted it. There is no need to rush out to Santa Fe - I don't start work until June 15.

Tomorrow night Mom and I will be leaving Massachusetts, driving down to Burnsville, West Virginia and spending the night with Granny. The next morning we will continue on, with Granny in tow, and wherever we end up for the night will be a mystery. I think it's more exciting/relaxed to do it in that fashion, anyway.

....I'm finally getting excited about the trip. My life has kind of been a whirlwind since coming home from Italy. I haven't really had any time to stop, think, and process some things. I've been so caught up in other obligations and tasks that need to be taken care of that I have really had to focus on one thing at a time. I didn't have the energy to look ahead and start thinking about Santa Fe. But, now that the reality is sinking in that Oh wait, we're leaving tomorrow! I am finally in the right mindset to go to Santa Fe. It probably also helps that...

...Mom is already driving me nuts. I love her dearly, but I am so accustomed to my college freedom & independence that coming home cramps my style (see previous entry). With that said, spending 7 straight days in the car with Mom should make this drive out reeeeeally interesting. haha. I suppose it'll be a crash course in Patience 101.

New Mexico here I come!!!

~ Katie

Reflection

It's hard to believe that I am leaving on my road trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico in less than a week. I have only been back in the United States for 12 days after a semester abroad in Siena, Italy. As I thought, I have just about completely settled back into my Western Massachusetts life, which of course means that it is time to pack my bags and up-and-leave again.

But, coming from a small town (pop. 14,000) where I have lived all 21 years, and after getting a taste of the "college life", a few days at home gets me antsy to leave again. It's been a great town to grow up in, but when I started to see everything else that life had to offer, and started traveling the world, my horizons expanded. Belchertown no longer holds any appeal for me...with the exception of seeing my family and friends.

After spending my first summer home from college, I told myself I could never do that again. I love my independence, feeling free, being adventurous and exploring the world. Living at home after completing freshman year, returning to the same job that I had worked at since junior year of high school - well, they just didn't line up with what I wanted.

This being said, last summer I didn't want to live at home or work the same job again. On a whim, I applied for jobs on Martha's Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. I had been there on vacation a few summers back, and decided that it wouldn't be such a bad place to return to for a summer. What a wonderful summer - earning a considerable amount of money, making friends from around the world (there is a large percentage of international students who work there during the summer), and returning to the mainland tanner than I have ever been in my entire life!

THIS SUMMER

Twelve or thirteen job/internship applications later and I am heading West to Santa Fe, New Mexico where I will be employed at my #1 summer choice.

For those of you who don't already know, I will be working at The Santa Fe Workshops. http://www.santafeworkshops.com/ The Work/Study position requires me to do, well, mundane tasks: set out breakfast for workshop participants, keep inventory on supplies, take the recycling to town, etc. However, the "study" part of it allows me to take one workshop per week for free (a $1500/week value).

Although I will not be getting "paid" per se (at least not in the monetary form), I am being "paid" in knowledge and skills through participating in workshops led by world-renowned photographers who have shot for the likes of National Geographic, Sports Illustrated and other highly-acclaimed companies. This experience and opportunity is unparalleled.

And one more word: networking. This is the last summer before I graduate from college. I plan on making LOTS of connections with all the photographers coming in each week. Keep your fingers crossed....maybe this will lead to a job post-graduation...?

~

I will update when I get the chance or just need to get something out of my head and onto paper (...internet? computer screen? You get the point...).

Here's hoping for a wonderful summer full of photographing, friendship, learning, dancing, sunshine, wonderful memories, and......FUN! :)


Follow your dreams,

Katie