Filling Suitcases

"Carries a lot of suitcases but all of them are empty because she's expecting to completely fill them with life by the end of this trip & then she'll come home & sort everything out & do it all again." -Brian Andreas

My friend Leah sent me this quote a while back.  It is from the StoryPeople website, where a man named Brian Andreas writes thousands of little blurbs that are a bit quirky, yet somehow perfectly sum up a whole range of emotions and experiences.  This one definitely got me.  Probably because my suitcases actually were empty in comparison to the three duffels brought by every other girl in my apartment.  (Why is this the one time I chose to underpack?  I have done laundry 30 times to everyone else's three.)  But, on a more serious note, I think this guy captures how important it is to shake things up be it by traveling nearly 5,000 miles away or a few blocks, because it makes you feel more whole.  Basically, if you never change perspective, you will likely always be looking at the same thing the same way.  By adding a new viewing lens to the mix, you will come to appreciate much more, to notice and savor things that passed you by before.  

Having Faith

This week, I had one such chance to look through a different lens.  My International Relations class traveled Wednesday to the Mosque of Rome, the largest mosque in Western Europe which accommodates 12,000 people.  I have seen dozens of churches during my time here, hundreds of elaborates stained glass windows and fine depictions of saints.  This structure was much different. There cannot be any pictures or statues in a mosque as they are considered blasphemous in Islam.  The structure was adorned with beautifully intricate mosaics though.  We watched our tour guide do his prayers (a ritual practiced five times a day) and examined several Arabic texts in the building's small library.  

At home, I do not think I would ever explore or examine other religions to the extent I do in Rome, the seat of papal authority.  But the experience has been much more rewarding then I would have expected.  Seeing so many passionate individuals who have obviously pursued a thorough religious education has inspired me to do a little bit more research on my own part.  My repository of knowledge concerning world history and major religious roots is getting rusty and I am just not okay with that.  I am determined to start to read the newspaper more at home (and not just flip to horoscopes after skimming A1), to brush up on why people believe what they do and what motivates them to action, and to think outside of my little DC and Atlanta bubbles.  There are too many fascinating ideologies and enrapturing peoples in the world to turn a blind eye to their beliefs.  And I cannot turn a blind eye to my own for that matter.  I have let my own spirituality and religious connection fall by the wayside in college and I think it is high time I reconnect.  So whether this means a Birthright trip in the summer or simply finally putting my library card to use, I am feeling spiritually refreshed and engaged from my time abroad.

The center of the Mosque of Rome

Mosaic tiling bordered in Arabic text next to the area
where the Imam leads Islamic prayer

Reflections of a Chronic Over-Analyzer

Obviously, I have learned a lot from the physical presence of history in my home city.  I have realized that I need to seize my desire to broaden my horizons and appreciate the 7 billion people sharing the globe with me.  But, of course, everything always comes back to home base and I am constantly evaluating my own strengths and weaknesses throughout my time here.  

Strength: A positive attitude and good intentions.  I am predisposed to be optimistic which has taken me far.  I can't say I was the same as an angsty teenager, but I always like to like what I am doing which has made this experience.  

Weakness: When plan A fails, I tend to unravel.  I overuse the Stickies application on my laptop, I make a million to-do lists and when I have to resort to plan B or plan C, I am automatically programmed to hyperventilate.  This is a no-no here.  I am working on it.

Strength: I do my best, honestly, in part because I am driven by some self-induced anxiety.

Weakness: Sometimes I lose sight of the bigger picture.  I only have a month and a half left here (not even, AH!) so I can't get complacent.  There is too much to do and to see, not to mention that I don't know the names of 3/4 of the fabulous restaurants I have been to so my travel guide to Rome would include a lot of "that place by the church on the corner of that piazza, ya know?"

Strength: I have "al dente" down pat.

Weakness: I have "al dente" down pat.

Thanks for letting me air that Elizabeth-Gilbertesque analysis of myself.  I know that certain people think the Eat, Pray, Love author whines a bit, but I am all for the eloquent self-dissection.  In the end, I am so the girl that picks apart the minute details of each situation and I need an outlet for the observations so this is it.  Now, I have to run and snack on a Pocket Coffee, the best combination of caffeine and sugar that ever existed!

Baci,

Alexi