Dear Mom, Vol. 3
on studying in the spring
As a reminder to the readers:
Dear Mom,
It’s interesting how you say that my semester reminds you of our big trip because I feel there’s more differences than similarities. Sure, I’m living overseas and traveling to amazing places as we did over ten years ago (wow, how time flies…), but things feel quite different this time.
First of all, to state the obvious: you’re not here with me. I don’t have my parents or my little brothers coming along with me on my excursions, which is a little bittersweet. I miss making up stories with Reed and Finn to amuse ourselves in the backyard and our English lessons in the little libraries we would find tucked away. But it’s also kind of fun being on my own... I get to be the adult this time, (which is once again, bittersweet) and be in charge of myself, where I go on weekends, how I spend my “grownup money,” and figure out situations on my own. And since you aren’t here to entertain me, I’m forced to make new friends from the 175 other students here with me. Like you said, these are some of the friendships and relationships that will last or change a lifetime, so I’ve been soaking them up and looking for more constantly.
Another obvious difference is that I’m mostly here to study. My classes take up a decent amount of my schedule and cause me to have busy weeks with little travel, such as this one (hence the shorter letter). Albeit, traveling often teaches me more than most classrooms ever will, but while I'm here, I'm a full-time student with midterms, tests, essays, assignments, classes, and registrations often happening in one week. But luckily I’ve found that I feel better when I have a full plate, and I’m even luckier to have a full plate of quality readings (Dante, Augustine, Wojtyia, and Aquinas aren’t too shabby), somewhat chicken-scratch notes I’ll keep and use forever, and overall fascinating class topics.
Also, I might’ve touched on this briefly in previous letters, but where I go and what I do has significantly more meaning to me now than it did when I was ten years old. Back then, the Great Barrier Reef was pretty much cool rocks and fish in the ocean, Victoria Falls was just a massive waterfall, and even Normandy (which I hate to admit, I barely remember) was simply another beach. But now a decade later, I can begin or continue to truly enjoy and imbibe the depth and significance of the world. Rome isn’t just good pizza, it’s central to my faith and is teeming with beauty only appreciative eyes can see. Assisi is now the home of saints, fond memories, and key moments in my life. And wonderful Poland has some of the most remarkable and tragic history and art in all of Europe. I don’t think at ten I would have even begun to fathom the beauty of seeing the sun set over the train tracks Auschwitz and Birkenau, but I’m honored and grateful I do now.
I’m about halfway through the semester now, which is hard to believe, but I’m anticipating what the next seven or so weeks have in store for me. One of those things is Spring, which is certainly here in the little town of Gaming!
Back home we get a blissful two weeks of Spring weather before it gets rather toasty, but so far, the warm weather and sunshine are slow to approach. We had about a week of spectacular 60° weather and beaming sunlight, but as of my time of writing this, it’s a high of 35° and drizzly. But luckily, the few green patches and dainty flowers that have popped up are more used to the back and forth of weather than I am and have persisted through the smatterings of snow and wind. …I’m trying to do the same before I’m scorched with the Texas sun and long to be back here.
All this to say, dearest Mother, is that I miss you and I miss our travels. But I’m also having fun growing up and doing cool things like you and Dad did. I can’t wait to tell you all about it when I get home… Enjoy the relative silence while it lasts, because I fear I won’t shut up about “while I was abroad in Europe” for quite some time.
Missing you in the mountains,
Tate
I chuckled to myself when I read “while I was abroad in Europe.” It’s a bit of a joke between my sister and I to sound posh when we talk about our (mostly her) travels so I read that in her voice.