Blowing Bubbles

It’s been a week since we’ve been back.

There are things that I miss and things I don’t.

It’s great to be able to speak the native language, for one.

Iced drinks are awesome.

And most importantly, it’s great to have my independence back, to not have to follow a group schedule, and to be able to go where I want and when I want.

But what the things I do miss, not just about Poland, but about the entire experience, far surpasses the above in importance.

I miss the people, of course; students and faculty alike.

It’s like we were in this bubble, but not a typical bubble.

Our bubble was not clean and conventional; it was not mundane and boringly safe.

Inside this bubble were people who were constantly learning. This bubble was risky, often uncomfortable, and often scary.

But in this bubble was so much change, so much wisdom, and simply, so much thought.

There was no facebook, text messages, TV, or youtube videos.

I miss the discussions we were having, knowing that everything everybody was saying was quote-worthy and ridiculously profound.

Everything we did felt so important.

I gained so much perspective in our seven and a half days in Poland, and it’s hard to hold on to that perspective.

I came back changed and it was shocking, almost, to discover that the world I was returning to was not.

Silly squabbles friends were having just seemed so trivial. I wanted them to know that it didn’t matter.

But I find myself putting importance on them after only a week.

The entire experience was almost like church camp; we bond, we change, and then we come back and it’s hard to keep perspective and remember all we learned.

So, fellow ambassadors, let’s continue to remind one another what really matters. We all have our little bubbles, but for once I’m asking you to invade mine. We can all make sure we don’t lose the amazing perspective we gained, and, as Russell pointed out at one point, not make the trip a failure.

-Eva