Heather's Harmony

Where I've Traveled

Where I’ve Been

 

2004

 California- Huntington Beach- July

Las Vegas- July

Boston- August

    - My first East Coast City

 

2005

Russia- January- June

    - That time I lost my Front Tooth in Russia

    - My favorite Tea in the World

    - Tips to staying warm during a Russian Winter

    - When I found out I could fit a body in my Suitcase

    - What it's like to Ice Skate in Russia

    - Musical Surprises at the Kremlin

    - Why I have a tattoo with Russian in it

    - How to make Homemade Perogies

Estonia- May

    - Like walking through a Painting

Latvia- May 

Lithuania- May

    - The best Ice Cream I've ever Had!

Sweden- May

    - Visiting Stockholm

Finland- May

 

2006

California- Venice Beach- February 

Mazatlan, Mexico- April

    - Views from Mazatlan

Washington DC- June

    - My first & so far favorite East Coast scenic drive

London, England- November

    - Stonehenge is One of my Favorites

    - What its like to Lose a Passport while Traveling Abroad

    - Hostel Review: Kings Hotel

    - Avoiding Holidays to Travel to Europe for the First time. 

    - Hostel Review: The Globetrotter Inn

Paris, France- November

 

2007

Florida- Orlando, Key West- May

    - Photos from The Magic Kingdom

Denver Colorado- December

 

2008

Chicago- March

    - My visit to the Windy City

Northern California- August

    - The Haunted Winchester Mansion

    - My first time on the Golden Gate Bridge

    - Visiting Alcatraz Island

    - Loving Stinson Beach

 

2009

Washington DC- March

    - What it was like to visit Arlington Cemetery

    - My favorite Picture of the Washington Monument

    - Geeking out at the USHMM

Las Vegas, NV- May 

Huntington Beach, California- May 

Flaming Gorge, UT USA- September

Palestine & Israel- December

    - How I came to Visit the West Bank and Israel

    - My first Falafel

    - Up close and Personal at The Dome of the Rock

    - Christmas Eve in Bethlehem

    - International Blog Action Day

    - Protesting & Tear Gas

    - Staying at a Permaculture Farm in Bethlehem

    - The first time I smoked Huka

2010

Golden Spike, UT- May

Las Vegas, Nevada- June

    - That time I Met Flavor Flave

Plentywood, Montana USA- July

Kauai, Hawaii- September

    - What is a Strawberry Guava?

    - Falling in love with an Island

    - The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

 

2011

Mexican Cruise- Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta - February

    - My first Cruise

    - 5 Things I didn't Like about my Norwegian Star Cruise

Hollywood, CA USA- March

    - The Hollywood Sign

Sand Dunes, Utah- April

Northern California- May

Breckenridge, CO USA- July 

Heather is passionate about 3 things. 1) traveling 2)humanity 3) education. In 2012, upon earning her Integrated Studies degree in History & Political Science she is leaving her life in Salt Lake City, Utah to live the life of an expat. With only the intention to travel, she is leaving the planning & itinerary to where the trade winds of the universe send her. Follow Heather’s journey on her blog HeathersHarmony, @heathertravels and facebook 

Where I've Traveled

Where I’ve Been

 

2004

 California- Huntington Beach- July

Las Vegas- July

Boston- August

    - My first East Coast City

 

2005

Russia- January- June

    - That time I lost my Front Tooth in Russia

    - My favorite Tea in the World

    - Tips to staying warm during a Russian Winter

    - When I found out I could fit a body in my Suitcase

    - What it's like to Ice Skate in Russia

    - Musical Surprises at the Kremlin

    - Why I have a tattoo with Russian in it

    - How to make Homemade Perogies

Estonia- May

    - Like walking through a Painting

Latvia- May 

Lithuania- May

    - The best Ice Cream I've ever Had!

Sweden- May

    - Visiting Stockholm

Finland- May

 

2006

California- Venice Beach- February 

Mazatlan, Mexico- April

    - Views from Mazatlan

Washington DC- June

    - My first & so far favorite East Coast scenic drive

London, England- November

    - Stonehenge is One of my Favorites

    - What its like to Lose a Passport while Traveling Abroad

    - Hostel Review: Kings Hotel

    - Avoiding Holidays to Travel to Europe for the First time. 

    - Hostel Review: The Globetrotter Inn

Paris, France- November

 

2007

Florida- Orlando, Key West- May

    - Photos from The Magic Kingdom

Denver Colorado- December

 

2008

Chicago- March

    - My visit to the Windy City

Northern California- August

    - The Haunted Winchester Mansion

    - My first time on the Golden Gate Bridge

    - Visiting Alcatraz Island

    - Loving Stinson Beach

 

2009

Washington DC- March

    - What it was like to visit Arlington Cemetery

    - My favorite Picture of the Washington Monument

    - Geeking out at the USHMM

Las Vegas, NV- May 

Huntington Beach, California- May 

Flaming Gorge, UT USA- September

Palestine & Israel- December

    - How I came to Visit the West Bank and Israel

    - My first Falafel

    - Up close and Personal at The Dome of the Rock

    - Christmas Eve in Bethlehem

    - International Blog Action Day

    - Protesting & Tear Gas

    - Staying at a Permaculture Farm in Bethlehem

    - The first time I smoked Huka

2010

Golden Spike, UT- May

Las Vegas, Nevada- June

    - That time I Met Flavor Flave

Plentywood, Montana USA- July

Kauai, Hawaii- September

    - What is a Strawberry Guava?

    - Falling in love with an Island

    - The Grand Canyon of the Pacific

 

2011

Mexican Cruise- Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta - February

    - My first Cruise

    - 5 Things I didn't Like about my Norwegian Star Cruise

Hollywood, CA USA- March

    - The Hollywood Sign

Sand Dunes, Utah- April

Northern California- May

Breckenridge, CO USA- July 

Heather is passionate about 3 things. 1) traveling 2)humanity 3) education. In 2012, upon earning her Integrated Studies degree in History & Political Science she is leaving her life in Salt Lake City, Utah to live the life of an expat. With only the intention to travel, she is leaving the planning & itinerary to where the trade winds of the universe send her. Follow Heather’s journey on her blog HeathersHarmony, @heathertravels and facebook 

Bucket List # 18: Get my Compass Tattoo

I am thrilled to announce that I finally got my compass tattoo, I’ve been waiting for a long time to get it and things kept falling through but I knew when it was meant to happen it would, and sure enough in the past year my simple idea evolved into exactly what I wanted!

North- It’s in Russian, which is really just an ‘H’. “Mother Russia”

It resembles my mother, who without fail is my greatest example, quick to be my listening ear, shoulder to cry on & always always always supports me, even when she doesn’t always appreciate my endeavors. North also resembles Russia because it was the first country I visited other than my own. It was the catalyst to my passion for travel and will always be cherished in my heart.

East- This resembles my brother Robby, he is truly a diamond in the rough, marvelously intelligent with a brazen personality but at the end of the day he’s really just a big teddy bear!

South- Represents my sister Sarah, who chose the & symbol for her cardinal direction. My sister is genuine and down to earth, she is fabulously intuitive and seems to always know just what I’m looking for whether it be an inspirational movie, meaningful conversation or a thoughtful gift.

West- The Chinese character for West chosen by my eldest brother KC. He is a brilliantly talented writer who is ready at the drop of a hat to provide witty commentary, quotes and movie lines to provide guidance for any situation you find yourself in.

What is it like to get a tattoo? For starters, yes, it does hurt. BUT it isn't the kind of pain that you can't stand. I will say though, my body can be weaker than my brain sometimes, I can't control getting sea sick just like I couldn't stop myself from going into shock. My tattoo artist and old friend from high school brought me a coke & some chocolate as we waited for me to recover and then we pressed on. If you want a tattoo I hope that doesn't dissuade you, I can be quite the baby, but the endearing fact is that being a baby doesn't stop me from doing tough things!

How do you know what you're going to want on your body forever?  To be honest, tattoos are a personal preference, most people either love them or hate them and if you love them it usually means you'll get one and find something you'll want forever. I wanted my first tattoo since I was a freshmen in high school (the outline of a star on my foot) real no sentiment there although by the time I got it 8 years later the timing was significant in my life.

Both of the shapes are from a designer whom I love and while the star is pretty generic the heart has more character, although I will be adding to it in the near future.

My compass tattoo is significantly more meaningful and I have no reason to believe I won’t love it as much as I do now, as I will love it 50 years from now when its been aged through life & experience. ruin is a gift.

   

Where did you get your tattoo?  I explained to my friend Jose what I wanted and he incorporated my ideas into a beautiful drawing, from there my idea evolved to add my immediate family as the cardinal directions. I knew I wanted my old friend from high school, Mitch Anderson to do the tattoo himself, Mitch has been tattooing for over 5 years now and gave my drawing life.

Mitch is located at Old Town Tattoo Gallery, while I'd never been to this shop previously I loved the urban feel but more than anything it isn't just brimming with talented tattoo artists, they are spectacularly talented artists in several mediums, their work is displayed not only as decoration but is also for sale in the shop. I’m a fan of keeping it local and enjoy supporting independent artists, so if you’re ever in the market its worth checking out!  

       ____________________________________________________

Tattoo's aren't for everyone, I know that. So if this post doesn't inspire you to say something kind, please keep it to yourself. Thank you!

Bucket List # 18: Get my Compass Tattoo

I am thrilled to announce that I finally got my compass tattoo, I’ve been waiting for a long time to get it and things kept falling through but I knew when it was meant to happen it would, and sure enough in the past year my simple idea evolved into exactly what I wanted!

North- It’s in Russian, which is really just an ‘H’. “Mother Russia”

It resembles my mother, who without fail is my greatest example, quick to be my listening ear, shoulder to cry on & always always always supports me, even when she doesn’t always appreciate my endeavors. North also resembles Russia because it was the first country I visited other than my own. It was the catalyst to my passion for travel and will always be cherished in my heart.

East- This resembles my brother Robby, he is truly a diamond in the rough, marvelously intelligent with a brazen personality but at the end of the day he’s really just a big teddy bear!

South- Represents my sister Sarah, who chose the & symbol for her cardinal direction. My sister is genuine and down to earth, she is fabulously intuitive and seems to always know just what I’m looking for whether it be an inspirational movie, meaningful conversation or a thoughtful gift.

West- The Chinese character for West chosen by my eldest brother KC. He is a brilliantly talented writer who is ready at the drop of a hat to provide witty commentary, quotes and movie lines to provide guidance for any situation you find yourself in.

What is it like to get a tattoo? For starters, yes, it does hurt. BUT it isn't the kind of pain that you can't stand. I will say though, my body can be weaker than my brain sometimes, I can't control getting sea sick just like I couldn't stop myself from going into shock. My tattoo artist and old friend from high school brought me a coke & some chocolate as we waited for me to recover and then we pressed on. If you want a tattoo I hope that doesn't dissuade you, I can be quite the baby, but the endearing fact is that being a baby doesn't stop me from doing tough things!

How do you know what you're going to want on your body forever?  To be honest, tattoos are a personal preference, most people either love them or hate them and if you love them it usually means you'll get one and find something you'll want forever. I wanted my first tattoo since I was a freshmen in high school (the outline of a star on my foot) real no sentiment there although by the time I got it 8 years later the timing was significant in my life.

Both of the shapes are from a designer whom I love and while the star is pretty generic the heart has more character, although I will be adding to it in the near future.

My compass tattoo is significantly more meaningful and I have no reason to believe I won’t love it as much as I do now, as I will love it 50 years from now when its been aged through life & experience. ruin is a gift.

   

Where did you get your tattoo?  I explained to my friend Jose what I wanted and he incorporated my ideas into a beautiful drawing, from there my idea evolved to add my immediate family as the cardinal directions. I knew I wanted my old friend from high school, Mitch Anderson to do the tattoo himself, Mitch has been tattooing for over 5 years now and gave my drawing life.

Mitch is located at Old Town Tattoo Gallery, while I'd never been to this shop previously I loved the urban feel but more than anything it isn't just brimming with talented tattoo artists, they are spectacularly talented artists in several mediums, their work is displayed not only as decoration but is also for sale in the shop. I’m a fan of keeping it local and enjoy supporting independent artists, so if you’re ever in the market its worth checking out!  

       ____________________________________________________

Tattoo's aren't for everyone, I know that. So if this post doesn't inspire you to say something kind, please keep it to yourself. Thank you!

How to Survive Winter in Russia

Week 4 on the Indie Travel Challenge is about winter travel, so I have decided to write about Winter in Russia. (click on logo above for more info)

When I announced I was moving to Russia for 6 months the first response was almost always “bring a coat”, “man you’re going to freeze, dress warm!” or “better pack lots of warm clothes!”

I did just that, nearly every shirt I brought was long sleeved; I had long skirts, boots, sweaters, jackets, coats, gloves, hats, scarves and an abundance of socks!

I was ready for my winter in Russia, being from Utah “the best snow on earth” I think I’m knowledgeable about what winter is. Not the case!

Utah is a dry cold, and I quickly learned the less humid a place is, the less ‘cold’ a place is. The more humid it is the more ‘bone chilling’ the cold is. In Utah gloves, hats, scarves are really more of an accessory the cold doesn’t chill you to your very core. In Russia these are all considered necessary at all times.

 

 

 

Tips for Surviving a Russian Winter

-          Where the necessities, always.

        If you go out without all the necessities you will get yelled at, mostly but the elderly women (babushkas), I got yelled at frequently. It’s the culture to respect your elders and unlike in America the elderly are an active part in society, sweeping fallen leaves, mending broken fences, lecture about bad behavior and enforcing winter dress code. Take it for the good hearted worry that it is, don’t get upset or resentful and indulge their concern.

-         Footwear.

         I brought the boots I currently owned, figuring if they were good enough for the ‘best snow’ then they would be good enough for Russia’s snow. I was lucky and fell a handful of times while there, it wasn’t unusual to see people biff it, you get used to it and in fear of sounding rude, we developed skills in hiding our laughter until we were at a safe distance. However some shoes are better than others, a fellow teacher brought uggs; they’re warm, why not? Because they have NO traction, you will fall, a lot. The vast majority of Russians where shoes with heels that will act as a pick to provide a sturdier step. Women often where boots with a stiletto heel for this very reason, seemed counter intuitive before I saw how effective it was.

-          Layers.

        On an average day I would wear, short socks, tall socks, high ankle boots, leggings, jeans, a long undershirt, shirt, sweater or jacket, coat with a hood, gloves, hat, and scarf. I usually kept an extra pair of gloves, socks, and an umbrella. I was toasty warm and often would walk 20 minutes to school to avoid the bus. I was fortunate to have a beautiful path to my school; I loved my walks listening to the traffic, my music or my thoughts. Not to mention the street vendors with yummy pastries and breakfast foods.

-          The Bus.

The worse the weather the harder it is to get on the bus. If you haven’t ridden a bus out of the US you may not know what I mean but I’ll try to paint a picture. Russian busses are smaller, the barely fit two to a seat and when you’re all bundled up its even trickier. They will push you literally into and onto the bus. No seats? No problem! If the line for your bus is long they shove into every last space possible, you may be sitting on laps, shoved up right next to a grumpy commuter, nearly falling onto a babushka and since you’ve got dozens of Russians in winter wear in a confined space it can get hot… and smelly. Watch out that when you get shoved, you avoid the smelly riders.  

How to Survive Winter in Russia

Week 4 on the Indie Travel Challenge is about winter travel, so I have decided to write about Winter in Russia. (click on logo above for more info)

When I announced I was moving to Russia for 6 months the first response was almost always “bring a coat”, “man you’re going to freeze, dress warm!” or “better pack lots of warm clothes!”

I did just that, nearly every shirt I brought was long sleeved; I had long skirts, boots, sweaters, jackets, coats, gloves, hats, scarves and an abundance of socks!

I was ready for my winter in Russia, being from Utah “the best snow on earth” I think I’m knowledgeable about what winter is. Not the case!

Utah is a dry cold, and I quickly learned the less humid a place is, the less ‘cold’ a place is. The more humid it is the more ‘bone chilling’ the cold is. In Utah gloves, hats, scarves are really more of an accessory the cold doesn’t chill you to your very core. In Russia these are all considered necessary at all times.

 

 

 

Tips for Surviving a Russian Winter

-          Where the necessities, always.

        If you go out without all the necessities you will get yelled at, mostly but the elderly women (babushkas), I got yelled at frequently. It’s the culture to respect your elders and unlike in America the elderly are an active part in society, sweeping fallen leaves, mending broken fences, lecture about bad behavior and enforcing winter dress code. Take it for the good hearted worry that it is, don’t get upset or resentful and indulge their concern.

-         Footwear.

         I brought the boots I currently owned, figuring if they were good enough for the ‘best snow’ then they would be good enough for Russia’s snow. I was lucky and fell a handful of times while there, it wasn’t unusual to see people biff it, you get used to it and in fear of sounding rude, we developed skills in hiding our laughter until we were at a safe distance. However some shoes are better than others, a fellow teacher brought uggs; they’re warm, why not? Because they have NO traction, you will fall, a lot. The vast majority of Russians where shoes with heels that will act as a pick to provide a sturdier step. Women often where boots with a stiletto heel for this very reason, seemed counter intuitive before I saw how effective it was.

-          Layers.

        On an average day I would wear, short socks, tall socks, high ankle boots, leggings, jeans, a long undershirt, shirt, sweater or jacket, coat with a hood, gloves, hat, and scarf. I usually kept an extra pair of gloves, socks, and an umbrella. I was toasty warm and often would walk 20 minutes to school to avoid the bus. I was fortunate to have a beautiful path to my school; I loved my walks listening to the traffic, my music or my thoughts. Not to mention the street vendors with yummy pastries and breakfast foods.

-          The Bus.

The worse the weather the harder it is to get on the bus. If you haven’t ridden a bus out of the US you may not know what I mean but I’ll try to paint a picture. Russian busses are smaller, the barely fit two to a seat and when you’re all bundled up its even trickier. They will push you literally into and onto the bus. No seats? No problem! If the line for your bus is long they shove into every last space possible, you may be sitting on laps, shoved up right next to a grumpy commuter, nearly falling onto a babushka and since you’ve got dozens of Russians in winter wear in a confined space it can get hot… and smelly. Watch out that when you get shoved, you avoid the smelly riders.  

snapshot saturday: Ice Skating in Russia

Even small adventures like going ice skating present a problem when you're living in a foreign country. On our own this would have been quite the task, finding an ice skating rink, where its located, costs & hours, not to mention knowing what shoe size you are in another country all in very broken Russian & maybe some broken English.

Luckily we were invited to go with a group from the LDS church we attended so most of this was taken care of for us. Although you can bet we weren’t there long before laughter ensued at the situation! It was crowded, slightly smelly and a bit run down. But it was FUN!

Although yelling ‘watch out!’ or other warnings of amateur ice skaters in English with Russian speakers was rather hilarious. Most people just went about the rink enjoying themselves like any other day while for us it was a once in a lifetime activity!

snapshot saturday: Ice Skating in Russia

Even small adventures like going ice skating present a problem when you're living in a foreign country. On our own this would have been quite the task, finding an ice skating rink, where its located, costs & hours, not to mention knowing what shoe size you are in another country all in very broken Russian & maybe some broken English.

Luckily we were invited to go with a group from the LDS church we attended so most of this was taken care of for us. Although you can bet we weren’t there long before laughter ensued at the situation! It was crowded, slightly smelly and a bit run down. But it was FUN!

Although yelling ‘watch out!’ or other warnings of amateur ice skaters in English with Russian speakers was rather hilarious. Most people just went about the rink enjoying themselves like any other day while for us it was a once in a lifetime activity!

What educational intuition has done for me...

Intuition: a) The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational processes; immediate cognition.  b) Knowledge gained by the use of this faculty; a perceptive insight.  c) A sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression. 

I could talk for days about all the intricacies fate and intuition has had in my life but this post will focus mainly on my educational insights. My mother learned the value of education through challenges her life presented to her. This shows that I was raised with the encouragement of education and after a couple years of putting off my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree I came to the personal truth that I would never be happy with myself if I did not complete my degree. This truth is the #1 bottom line why I went back to school & how I have managed to stay in college. Without this personal drive I can’t say that I would definitely finish.

However, after personal reflection I can say that there are hundreds & thousands of reasons why my college experience has been invaluable to my life. I would also say that the vast majority of these reasons are still unknown to me. They are such a part of me that I don’t recognize their effects within myself and my life. So here are just a handful of intuitive decisions that led me to a better more passionate life.

This post is directed for those of you who need a reminder of why you finished your degree, are about to start spring semester & those who still aren’t sure college is for you. I believe college isn’t for everyone, but I do believe everyone has something to gain by attending even if they never finish

.

I have always thought I’m a pretty intuitive person. I don’t know how my skills compare to others or what factors play into it, but the bottom line is that I have been ‘lead’ to certain opportunities, people, experiences and places because of intuition.

• Just days from my 16^th birthday I decided to eat lunch at Arby’s, having only been once before & not caring for the food it was an unusual occurrence for me. While there I noticed a couple managers and thought to myself that I should ask for a job application. They had me interview later that day and my start date was set for the week after my 16^th birthday. I worked there for two years and saved money for my first year of college.

 

• Weeks before I was meant to start attending college at the University of Utah (Go Utes!) I had the impression that it would lead to a life I wouldn’t ultimately want and instead I made the arrangements to attend Snow College instead. I met the first love of my life & discovered International Language Programs which lead me to teach English in Voronezh, Russia for 6 months at just 18.

 

• After returning to college to complete my bachelor’s degree in Communications I came to the realization that I didn’t have the drive for my classes the way I did while getting my Associates degree. Looking for a new class led me to plenty of class I could take but none pulled at me until I saw The History of Genocide in the Twenty-first Century. I wanted this class, upon receiving a cautionary warning from the teacher that this was a writing intensive senior level course and not to be taken lightly I joined the class. This led me to a paid research trip in Washington DC & ultimately into pursuing a degree with History.

 

• While taking my History of Genocide class I was taken aback by our professor Kat Brown who inspired me. She is the one who took me to Washington DC, taught me in a one on one research course, she is on my thesis board and she is always ready & willing to challenge me. Among her many influences in my life she also recommended I take a Public History course by Abby Chandler.

 

• Professor Chandler’s class was a mystery to me but I trusted Kat Brown’s opinion, enrolled in the class and my life was changed. Here I learned the importance of Public History, how information is presented, the challenges of modern museums, the value in volunteering and that while History is a liberal art there are thousands of career opportunities available no matter the field we’re interested in. She also had a way of expressing her value in me, she let me know that I had potential and that I had the ability to pursue my dreams. Invaluable quality in teachers!

 

• When enrolling in classes I noticed an Integrated Studies course titled US/ Mexico Borderlands and felt compelled to take it. I wasn’t completely sure what to expect from the course, it taught me to recognize my ignorance when it came to immigration, foreigners, culture and integration. This course taught me more than I could EVER share, it was an experience and those just can translate literally. This class led me to find the degree that I could be passionate about.

 

• I’d enrolled in a Peace & Justice course, quite honestly because it sounded interesting without appearing to be a super difficult course. I was wrong. It was difficult, deep and philosophically challenging. I was completely in over my head but felt I should remain in the class and learn as much as I could grasp. This course led me to my current belief that killing humans is wrong. (Yes, in all circumstances)  I’ve attempted on several occasions to express how and why I believe this and as of yet, have failed miserably to translate my experience in this class with someone else. Too much goes on during class time, the readings and feelings that come with truly life altering classes.

 

• In my Peace & Justice course mentioned above I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. I say opportunity because if I had not pursued the opportunity to become friends and not just class mates then I would have missed out on one of the BEST experiences of my life. There was a boy named Aaron who I am still beyond impressed by; I used to sit in awe over his insights and perspective. I pursued a friendship with him and ultimately received an invitation to travel to the West Bank of Palestine with him.

 

• During my last semester at Utah Valley University where I will be graduating upon completion of my senior thesis; I took a Buddhism & Science course which discussed the correlation between these two subjects. Why I enrolled in this course wasn’t so much about intuition as it was merely because I’m interested in Buddhism. The course is taught by Wayne Hanewicz, a wildly interesting man whom I could spend days with just listening to his stories. The subject was so deep & complex that it would be over my head and on several days we would walk out of class dumbfounded, enlightened and wishing the class was hours longer. This course only further instilled my love for a simple life, my wanting to distance myself from attachment to possessions and desire to learn more about Buddhism.

In closing I would like to say that my college experiences are priceless. I will NEVER be able to share what I have learned because it goes beyond the education I received. This may be the single largest reason I encourage others to attend college. With student loans coming due soon I can say with complete assurance that the high cost (while painful) is already completely worth it!  There aren’t any words to express my absolute love for what going to college has done for me.

 Have you had experiences like this? Do you have anything you'd tell a hopeful college graduate?

What educational intuition has done for me...

Intuition: a) The act or faculty of knowing or sensing without the use of rational processes; immediate cognition.  b) Knowledge gained by the use of this faculty; a perceptive insight.  c) A sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression. 

I could talk for days about all the intricacies fate and intuition has had in my life but this post will focus mainly on my educational insights. My mother learned the value of education through challenges her life presented to her. This shows that I was raised with the encouragement of education and after a couple years of putting off my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree I came to the personal truth that I would never be happy with myself if I did not complete my degree. This truth is the #1 bottom line why I went back to school & how I have managed to stay in college. Without this personal drive I can’t say that I would definitely finish.

However, after personal reflection I can say that there are hundreds & thousands of reasons why my college experience has been invaluable to my life. I would also say that the vast majority of these reasons are still unknown to me. They are such a part of me that I don’t recognize their effects within myself and my life. So here are just a handful of intuitive decisions that led me to a better more passionate life.

This post is directed for those of you who need a reminder of why you finished your degree, are about to start spring semester & those who still aren’t sure college is for you. I believe college isn’t for everyone, but I do believe everyone has something to gain by attending even if they never finish

.

I have always thought I’m a pretty intuitive person. I don’t know how my skills compare to others or what factors play into it, but the bottom line is that I have been ‘lead’ to certain opportunities, people, experiences and places because of intuition.

• Just days from my 16^th birthday I decided to eat lunch at Arby’s, having only been once before & not caring for the food it was an unusual occurrence for me. While there I noticed a couple managers and thought to myself that I should ask for a job application. They had me interview later that day and my start date was set for the week after my 16^th birthday. I worked there for two years and saved money for my first year of college.

 

• Weeks before I was meant to start attending college at the University of Utah (Go Utes!) I had the impression that it would lead to a life I wouldn’t ultimately want and instead I made the arrangements to attend Snow College instead. I met the first love of my life & discovered International Language Programs which lead me to teach English in Voronezh, Russia for 6 months at just 18.

 

• After returning to college to complete my bachelor’s degree in Communications I came to the realization that I didn’t have the drive for my classes the way I did while getting my Associates degree. Looking for a new class led me to plenty of class I could take but none pulled at me until I saw The History of Genocide in the Twenty-first Century. I wanted this class, upon receiving a cautionary warning from the teacher that this was a writing intensive senior level course and not to be taken lightly I joined the class. This led me to a paid research trip in Washington DC & ultimately into pursuing a degree with History.

 

• While taking my History of Genocide class I was taken aback by our professor Kat Brown who inspired me. She is the one who took me to Washington DC, taught me in a one on one research course, she is on my thesis board and she is always ready & willing to challenge me. Among her many influences in my life she also recommended I take a Public History course by Abby Chandler.

 

• Professor Chandler’s class was a mystery to me but I trusted Kat Brown’s opinion, enrolled in the class and my life was changed. Here I learned the importance of Public History, how information is presented, the challenges of modern museums, the value in volunteering and that while History is a liberal art there are thousands of career opportunities available no matter the field we’re interested in. She also had a way of expressing her value in me, she let me know that I had potential and that I had the ability to pursue my dreams. Invaluable quality in teachers!

 

• When enrolling in classes I noticed an Integrated Studies course titled US/ Mexico Borderlands and felt compelled to take it. I wasn’t completely sure what to expect from the course, it taught me to recognize my ignorance when it came to immigration, foreigners, culture and integration. This course taught me more than I could EVER share, it was an experience and those just can translate literally. This class led me to find the degree that I could be passionate about.

 

• I’d enrolled in a Peace & Justice course, quite honestly because it sounded interesting without appearing to be a super difficult course. I was wrong. It was difficult, deep and philosophically challenging. I was completely in over my head but felt I should remain in the class and learn as much as I could grasp. This course led me to my current belief that killing humans is wrong. (Yes, in all circumstances)  I’ve attempted on several occasions to express how and why I believe this and as of yet, have failed miserably to translate my experience in this class with someone else. Too much goes on during class time, the readings and feelings that come with truly life altering classes.

 

• In my Peace & Justice course mentioned above I had the opportunity to meet some fantastic people. I say opportunity because if I had not pursued the opportunity to become friends and not just class mates then I would have missed out on one of the BEST experiences of my life. There was a boy named Aaron who I am still beyond impressed by; I used to sit in awe over his insights and perspective. I pursued a friendship with him and ultimately received an invitation to travel to the West Bank of Palestine with him.

 

• During my last semester at Utah Valley University where I will be graduating upon completion of my senior thesis; I took a Buddhism & Science course which discussed the correlation between these two subjects. Why I enrolled in this course wasn’t so much about intuition as it was merely because I’m interested in Buddhism. The course is taught by Wayne Hanewicz, a wildly interesting man whom I could spend days with just listening to his stories. The subject was so deep & complex that it would be over my head and on several days we would walk out of class dumbfounded, enlightened and wishing the class was hours longer. This course only further instilled my love for a simple life, my wanting to distance myself from attachment to possessions and desire to learn more about Buddhism.

In closing I would like to say that my college experiences are priceless. I will NEVER be able to share what I have learned because it goes beyond the education I received. This may be the single largest reason I encourage others to attend college. With student loans coming due soon I can say with complete assurance that the high cost (while painful) is already completely worth it!  There aren’t any words to express my absolute love for what going to college has done for me.

 Have you had experiences like this? Do you have anything you'd tell a hopeful college graduate?