I know I said that I wasn’t about
to measure my year by the success of my resolution, but I think I accomplished
my 2013 resolution and much more-would those of you that know me agree? (I am
sorry but I am going to brag about my year a little bit)—I went to NYC with my
best friends and got my nose pierced. I got accepted to 9 out of the 10
colleges I applied to (I did apply to one more college after the New Year), and
I made the big decision to attend Centre College. I found out that I would be
going to Ecuador for my exchange year. I participated in my last high school drama
club’s production of “13”. I actually got a 3 on my AP English exam! I went to
prom with my friend and fellow exchange student, Sam Otis, and I couldn’t be
happier with how things worked out. I am extremely proud of how well I did on
our school’s scholarship night as I was awarded around $8,000 in different
scholarships. I sang “You Raise Me Up” at our senior Baccalaureate ceremony. I
graduated high school in the top 10 of my class as a NH scholar and with
National Honor Society recognition. After graduation my family and I spent a
week together- like a mini vacation- where we went to Boston and to Newport,
RI, and spent time up in York, Maine which is one of my favorite places to be.
I spent the summer making good money as a babysitter but kept time for hanging
out with my best friends and spending time with my family as well. I went on
two great motorcycle rides with my Dad, one of which we spent the day riding up
through the Kangamagus Highway and back. I participated in my last summer
theater camp with my favorite director- Robb Dimmick. I had two great parties;
one was an end of the summer party, where I got to see my good high school
friends one last time before we went our separate ways for the year, and the
other was with the most important family and friends the Friday before I left home
for the next ten months. And then, on August 24th 2013, I embarked
on my exchange journey to Ecuador, where I have been making friends, adjusting
to the culture, and speaking Spanish ever since. If I am being honest, I have
had more fun than I have ever had before by living here in Ecuador. I don’t
have to do school work and I love the free time to go volunteer, work at my host dad's lab, and go to Crossfit. I have even lost weight from eating differently here
and going to Crossfit- and isn’t it interesting how I didn’t make “losing
weight” my new year’s resolution and yet I have had more success than ever
before. I don’t have a boyfriend, but I can say I have a close relationship
with a guy here in Ecuador and it has been nice getting to know him and hang
out. And this year, I can say that I wasn’t alone on New Year’s Eve—It was one of the most fun nights of my life. I know I only
mentioned my own happy events above, but there were still significant events
during 2013, some negative like the Boston Marathon Bombings, that affected me
and many people, and reminded me to pray and be thankful for the safety of my
family.
Overall, I can say I enjoyed life.
I enjoyed the good times, and through the bad or harder times, I prayed and was
thankful for the positives that I did have, like my family and friends. And
now, I feel accomplished. I feel the success of this past year. I feel excited
to carry that success, that happy and stress-free attitude into this next year.
I am thankful for my family and friends and my health. I feel confident with my
decision to go to Centre College and I am in no way rushing for my exchange to
be over- but I am excited to start back up with education as I am not doing
anything in school here in Ecuador. But I am learning everyday- about the culture,
about the world, and about myself. And I am growing and changing in a good way.
And I know I have so much to look forward to still. I have more Spanish to
learn and more friends to make, here in Ecuador and when I start going to
college in Danville, KY. And I will have more decisions to make. But I will be
a worldlier person. I will be a healthier person. So this year will be just as
exciting and eventful as last year.
And here I am, on January 1st
2014, in Ecuador. I am missing my family, but I will see them again… this year!
I will turn 19 this year. I will return home from Ecuador a new person. I will
reunite with my family and within a week of my return I will go on a cruise to
celebrate my grandparents 50th anniversary as well as my parents
birthday, and my uncle’s birthday. I will be reunited with my old friends, but
be missing my exchange student friends. I will have trips to other countries to
look forward to now that I have friends from around the world. And I will start
as a freshman at Centre College in Danville, KY. And even more! I will be unique- a student
from NH who lived in Ecuador for 10 months, and I am excited to bring that
cultured side of me to the school. Maybe I will know what I want to do for a
major by then, and maybe I will still be undecided.
That being said, my New Year’s
resolution is going to be the same as last year- I think it really is the best
one to have no matter what your age and where you are in life. Enjoy life! Enjoy what you can because life is short; the
opportunities you have and the people you meet and the places you visit are everything. Slow
down what you can. I know this next part of my exchange is going to go by so
quickly and the next thing you know, August 2014, this year, I will be starting
college. It is all so surreal and I just want to slow it down. I want to really
take in these feelings and appreciate the experiences I am living. I want to
keep learning, enjoying, discovering the world, feeling successful, and being
thankful.
I
really liked how I ended my entry last year, so I am going to end in the same
manner here—So New Year, 2014, and GOD; please be good to me and my family,
friends, and loved ones. Let me have a happy year and let me be strong. Help me
to try my best and do everything I can to be everything that I want to me. Give
me strength to get through the challenges so that I can appreciate what’s on
the other side- the success. Keep me going and looking forward to the future,
one that is so promising for me. But most importantly, keep me grounded and
keep me living for today.
Love, Megan.
Love, Megan.
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