It has been two weeks since I have returned to the states from my journey in Porto, Portugal. I was graciously able to have a week at home to reacclimate to the states, and now I am back in the land of the Crimson Tide. Throughout all of these changes I can’t help but feel bittersweet about everything. Everything is calm and familiar, yet the daily allure of finding something new in an unknown place is something that I miss. For example, it’s very nice and comforting to go back to my favorite hometown restaurant and order the same meal I always do, but that scenario definitely misses the excitement of walking down a random Portuguese street, choosing a place purely by the smells and sounds wafting onto the streets, and trying to figure out what the best choice is on a menu in a language I only partially understand.
I’m extremely happy to be back in the states and even more grateful to be back in Tuscaloosa, but the sense of adventure that I picked up from Portugal has stuck with me. I don’t know exactly what I want to get into quite yet, but I know I want to find something new. Maybe I’ll find a new hobby to get into, a new club to join, and if I get really energetic try and join a sport. My experience has shown me just how exciting the unknown can be and how much there is to discover about the world and myself. I can’t wait to see what I find next.