East Coast VayCay
The "East Coast Road Trip" is well under way. My dad and are in South Carolina right now about 35 miles from Charleston and we're going to start making our way up north back to Maryland up till Thursday when we fly out. After school was over all I really wanted to do was come home, because we would be driving around for nine days. It would have been shorter had I not had to resign as an RA but oh well. Now though, I'm enjoying myself. Its some good "father son bonding time" as well as a chance to see the south.
Wednesday we made our way to Ocean City, MD where I finally had Maryland crabs. People kept telling me during my time here that I just HAD to try Maryland crabs before I left because they are "amazing" and so I finally did. They were good, not great, but they differently different from what I'm used to. Thursday we went to Annapolis and saw the old colonial part of town. We also went to the US Naval Academy. Then we drove to College Park which is just outside of DC and saw the University of Maryland. Friday we went to Six Flags, which sucked because three out of the eight roller coasters were closed as was the water park. We also hit up the National Aquarium. Friday night was the best though. We made our way back into the Towson area and went to my last friday night swing dance. I was able to convince my dad to take the beginning lesson but that was all he was willing to do. I still see it as a triumph.
if you want a better, more visual description of what I've seen and done so far click on the picture of me with the giant mexican statue that's below.
This past friday night at the swing dance was simply amazing, for multiple reasons. First (and best) of all was the fact that Casey showed up to surprise me even though she told me she wouldn't be able to make it (she rented a car for her mom so she could take her moms car and drive it down from PA). Second spending time with all of my dancing friends. Third was the fact that I was dancing. Nothing feels better then going out and dancing your heart out. I also got to see Betsy one last time since she'll be going to school in Boston instead of OSU in the fall. Afterward we all went to the Towson Diner one last time where I got this huge piece of baklava (it was delicious).
I had a realization though. It happened when I was saying goodbye to Casey (again) at her car. I told her "I feel like we've done this once already" and she smiled and replied with "you're right." Then I said the following (or at least something close to it), "you know, this doesn't have to be 'goodbye' in the sense that it seems to be. Just because I'm leaving and I'm going back across the country 3000 miles away doesn't mean we'll never see each other again. Its possible, hell its very likely but that doesn't mean its the final word in the matter. There's no way to say if we'll never see each other again as long as we don't leave it at this. As long as we stay in contact there's always that possibility and nothing will stop that. Its up to us. "
I find a lot of truth in what I said. So I've come to the conclusion that "goodbye" isn't goodbye if I don't make it so. The people here in Maryland, back in Oregon, or anywhere I go will always be my friends and then some as long as I don't drop them completely. Ergo, I am considering this a sort of hiatus on face to face interaction with my east coast friends.
You never know where you're going to end up. That's the story of my life right now.
Wednesday we made our way to Ocean City, MD where I finally had Maryland crabs. People kept telling me during my time here that I just HAD to try Maryland crabs before I left because they are "amazing" and so I finally did. They were good, not great, but they differently different from what I'm used to. Thursday we went to Annapolis and saw the old colonial part of town. We also went to the US Naval Academy. Then we drove to College Park which is just outside of DC and saw the University of Maryland. Friday we went to Six Flags, which sucked because three out of the eight roller coasters were closed as was the water park. We also hit up the National Aquarium. Friday night was the best though. We made our way back into the Towson area and went to my last friday night swing dance. I was able to convince my dad to take the beginning lesson but that was all he was willing to do. I still see it as a triumph.
if you want a better, more visual description of what I've seen and done so far click on the picture of me with the giant mexican statue that's below.
This past friday night at the swing dance was simply amazing, for multiple reasons. First (and best) of all was the fact that Casey showed up to surprise me even though she told me she wouldn't be able to make it (she rented a car for her mom so she could take her moms car and drive it down from PA). Second spending time with all of my dancing friends. Third was the fact that I was dancing. Nothing feels better then going out and dancing your heart out. I also got to see Betsy one last time since she'll be going to school in Boston instead of OSU in the fall. Afterward we all went to the Towson Diner one last time where I got this huge piece of baklava (it was delicious).
I had a realization though. It happened when I was saying goodbye to Casey (again) at her car. I told her "I feel like we've done this once already" and she smiled and replied with "you're right." Then I said the following (or at least something close to it), "you know, this doesn't have to be 'goodbye' in the sense that it seems to be. Just because I'm leaving and I'm going back across the country 3000 miles away doesn't mean we'll never see each other again. Its possible, hell its very likely but that doesn't mean its the final word in the matter. There's no way to say if we'll never see each other again as long as we don't leave it at this. As long as we stay in contact there's always that possibility and nothing will stop that. Its up to us. "
I find a lot of truth in what I said. So I've come to the conclusion that "goodbye" isn't goodbye if I don't make it so. The people here in Maryland, back in Oregon, or anywhere I go will always be my friends and then some as long as I don't drop them completely. Ergo, I am considering this a sort of hiatus on face to face interaction with my east coast friends.
You never know where you're going to end up. That's the story of my life right now.