The point of this blog was to chronicle my adventures so that I or whatever audience I have could watch the changes in me. I already stated at the beginning that I didn't think I'd change much because I went to another country. Psychologically speaking, we're determined by our nature (DNA) and our nurture (environment). I'm in basically the same environment as I am in America. There's more of a slope when I walk, I walk more, there's a better scenery outside of town and there's a lot of old buildings but I don't interact with those much.
My environment can be stripped down to classes and my room. Sometimes the class is in another city where I get to see castles and cathedrals and whatever else. I'm forced to interact with others when we get lunch or dinner on these field trips. I can't just sit in the hostel or in a cafe by myself. But I mostly observe and respond to anything directed at me then hand the conversation back to the others. It's a little different with Cathryn, since I'm more comfortable with her than I am with the others. We even had two movie/talking nights.
But all this environment is temporary and it's really not so foreign from my usual life. Boxing is different but I don't interact with the people there. I punch them and get punched by them and tell them good job as they finish a sprint, but there's no bonding between us. They don't shape me.
My mood is better lately, but the novelty of Wales hasn't worn off. I get to do all the fun stuff I did as a teen in scouts again. I get to see castles and live my childhood romance. I'm studying Arthurian literature, and realizing they are really bad stories. I don't have as many hours of class (I'm taking 12 SH instead of my usual 15 - 18 SH) and the British education system is more reliant on my work than on the professor talking at me. This gives me more time to write. I get new material to write about.
So is this improved mood really a change? It's not a personality change. No more than being full is different from being hungry. I still think people are ridiculously stupid and boring with the exception of a person. I'm not suddenly a people-person. I still prefer one-on-one or two-on-one. I'm still impatient, a little careless and unmotivated by things like grades.
So have I changed? I say no. People are the same wherever you go, like I said from the get-go. People from one ethnicity still surround themselves with others of the same language, skin color, culture, etc. People still walk in the middle of the sidewalk so people behind them can't get around them. Drivers don't want to wait for pedestrians. Shoppers still take years to decide if they want braeburn apples or royal gala while some of us know exactly which we want and have to wait. People have a herd mentality where they walk in hoards and block the entire sidewalk. Kids still skip class. Some are good students, others aren't, most are in the middle. Professors like the normal kids more than the others. Everyone likes sugar, alcohol and grease. Corporations are still screwing everyone out of their money.
Basically, life is the same here as elsewhere. I'm no more excited to be here than I was to visit Hawaii or Philmont or any of the dozen exciting places I've been in my life. Everyone looks for adventures on the other side of the map, but you don't even have to drive an hour to find it.
My environment can be stripped down to classes and my room. Sometimes the class is in another city where I get to see castles and cathedrals and whatever else. I'm forced to interact with others when we get lunch or dinner on these field trips. I can't just sit in the hostel or in a cafe by myself. But I mostly observe and respond to anything directed at me then hand the conversation back to the others. It's a little different with Cathryn, since I'm more comfortable with her than I am with the others. We even had two movie/talking nights.
But all this environment is temporary and it's really not so foreign from my usual life. Boxing is different but I don't interact with the people there. I punch them and get punched by them and tell them good job as they finish a sprint, but there's no bonding between us. They don't shape me.
My mood is better lately, but the novelty of Wales hasn't worn off. I get to do all the fun stuff I did as a teen in scouts again. I get to see castles and live my childhood romance. I'm studying Arthurian literature, and realizing they are really bad stories. I don't have as many hours of class (I'm taking 12 SH instead of my usual 15 - 18 SH) and the British education system is more reliant on my work than on the professor talking at me. This gives me more time to write. I get new material to write about.
So is this improved mood really a change? It's not a personality change. No more than being full is different from being hungry. I still think people are ridiculously stupid and boring with the exception of a person. I'm not suddenly a people-person. I still prefer one-on-one or two-on-one. I'm still impatient, a little careless and unmotivated by things like grades.
So have I changed? I say no. People are the same wherever you go, like I said from the get-go. People from one ethnicity still surround themselves with others of the same language, skin color, culture, etc. People still walk in the middle of the sidewalk so people behind them can't get around them. Drivers don't want to wait for pedestrians. Shoppers still take years to decide if they want braeburn apples or royal gala while some of us know exactly which we want and have to wait. People have a herd mentality where they walk in hoards and block the entire sidewalk. Kids still skip class. Some are good students, others aren't, most are in the middle. Professors like the normal kids more than the others. Everyone likes sugar, alcohol and grease. Corporations are still screwing everyone out of their money.
Basically, life is the same here as elsewhere. I'm no more excited to be here than I was to visit Hawaii or Philmont or any of the dozen exciting places I've been in my life. Everyone looks for adventures on the other side of the map, but you don't even have to drive an hour to find it.
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