So long, farewell, aufwiedersehn, goodnight

Back in Texas, it's is fun to travel but there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed. This past week was such an adventure, filled with new ideas, places, and people. I am so grateful for this opportunity that was given to us that made all these new experiences possible. The entire time I was in the country I never forgot that TCC made this trip available for us. Sometimes while eating in the dining room I would sit back in my chair, and think to myself, this is wonderful, as I looked at the mountains staring back at me through the window. This trip was not a vacation, no mistaking that. Our small group projects had only about 8 hours of planned time in our busy schedules. In spite of the short amount of time all of the groups were able to hammer out ideas into solutions for our given topics. The presentations went great and everyone seemed well spoken and prepared on their topics. What was impressive during the presentations was the fact that some of the students were very nervous about speaking in front of the group. In fact, I think we were all apprehensive with good reason; the faculty there is incredibly bright. The class work we did before the trip prepared me in a way that I didn't understand beforehand. Class work is intense when you have a full college schedule, but I learned that I can handle that kind of load if I was willing to make the sacrifice. The sacrifice of time was worth it, many hours of reading in the library, opting to leave work early to complete assignments on time, and spending less time on the extras of life was well worth it. Thank you Dr. Wood and Carol Hunsberger for doing all the leg work to set up this trip, I cannot say it enough, I know that sacrifices were made on your part too by taking on our extra classes. The lectures, to but it simply, amazing! I learned a whole new way to look at the world in which we live. We need to contribute, even if what we do is insignificant, do it anyways. Our news for the most part is lacking in the world perspective, and people living in other places in the world know more about what is happening in the US than a lot of the people that live here. Which brings up the question, why do they care so much about what we do? For the reason, what we do has an effect worldwide. The rest of the world cares more about America, than America cares about the rest of the world. When I applied for the Salzburg Seminar, my thought was this is once in a lifetime. I hope that it isn't. Before leaving I would hear the question, what is it for? And I would say it is an international relations seminar, it is so much more. This seminar is for the sole purpose of laying the foundation of becoming a global citizen. What is a global citizen? They are participants of the world, who think of not only how decisions made effect their country , but others as well.