Drawing to a close....

As I reflect on my nearing overseas travel endeavors, I quickly realize one thing, my time here on the southern tip of this mystical island is coming to a fateful close...Life in Victoria, which began five short years ago to this day has been memorable, enjoyable, and nothing short of amazing. Although, my initial years here were tremendously tumultuous, the rough patches of my arrival have been paved over by the diversity of friends and acquaintances that I have to come to deeply adore and admire. The relationships I have gained will always be part of me wherever I shall go, and I hope that the positive experiences we have shared will not remain a far distant memory.

I have little regrets about my time spent here; I have met many talented people who I know I will be working with and seeing in the future. I'll miss the long nights of solitude spent in the library drumming out that last final paper, moreover drinking 12.50 beer pitcher(s) at the school pub after a dreadfully long summer class, or the outrageously nice campus atmosphere that will be impossible to leave.

Ultimately, my five years here have flown by unexpectedly fast. Upon finishing my long awaited BA, I realized, although the degree I "earned" will prove to be utterly useless in obtaining a useful decent paying profession (Sorry!); However, the awareness I have gained towards global issues, social problems, racial/class/gender inequalities and many others will be invaluable in the future. I hope when I move out East to attend Law School (crossing fingers...) that I would be able to use my training to enrich the life of the underprivileged.

I hope the next chapter of my life will be as exciting as the previous one, and although leaving Victoria is something I felt was impossible a year or two ago, I have come to accept it as the road must traveled.

I hope that the blog will be a way for me to update you all on the fun and not-so-fun traveling occurrences, while also opening the door to tidbits of my life that you will either find extremely boring, moderately interesting, or somewhat exciting. I thank those over the years who put up with my often stand offish, brash, and overly-emotional antics! Although I may occasionally come of as mild-mannered, mellow, and melancholic, I assure you that if there is one thing I am passionate about it is the consideration and commitment between friends and family. I hope you all will enjoy reading this blog! I will leave you with the conclusion of a wonderful poem by English poet/author Rudyard Kipling.

What Says the Reeds at Runnymede?

At Runnymede, at Runnymede,
Your rights were won at Runnymede!
No freeman shall be fined or bound,
Or dispossessed of freehold ground,
Except by lawful judgment found
And passed upon him by his peers.
Forget not, after all these years,
The charter signed at Runnymede.'

And still when mob or Monarch lays
Too rude a hand on English ways,
The whisper wakes, the shudder plays,
Across the reeds at Runnymede.
And Thames, that knows the moods of kings,
And crowds and priests and suchlike things,
Rolls deep and dreadful as he brings
Their warning down from Runnymede!

Inaugural Blog Post!

I will be losing my blogging virginity this August as Blair, Brian, and myself will be journeying to Southeast Asia! I'll try to keep this baby current with the plethora of internet cafes in the area. We will be leaving on August 31st and arriving in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, then we will make plans to travel to the surrounding countries. Catch you all in August!

Johnny