She rules her life like a bird in flight.

As my birthday is rapidly coming around the corner, I can't help but reflect on my 20th year on earth. A julia roberts-esque smile comes to my face when I think about it all. I started off my 20th year waking up probably around 8am, eating the finest breakfast in the world at J.B's which would include "fibre" cereal, toast, and questionable fried eggs with Nina and Brigette. Going to work around 9:00am to find a Banner reading "Happy Birthday Ms.Nala" and a copius amount of birthday cards from british children. "Have a Beatal Birthday" was my favorite of course. Shelly surprising me with the cutest card with a picture of my beatle on the cover and home made cupcakes was incredibly sweet as well. Leaving work with tears almost in my eyes from Molly singing me the beatles song "When I'm 64". Getting back to my flat with my two lovely flatmates and Shelly. Shell's mum taking us to downtown munster and us walking around the town trying to find the restaurant "Alex's". ..."We all look like hookers"....Sarah you can be 1920's hooker. Nina your california hooker. After making it to Alex's we ran into about dozen soldiers from base. Let's just say I never had an empty drink the whole time at the restaurant. As it was my birthday afterall, it got a little crazy. Flaming sambuca shots nearly lit the table on fire. I ended up running outside after a boy I would like to call "dimples" for a little birthday smooch. After walking around the town a bit and ditching the obnoxious soldiers. We met one of our soon to be favorite germans outside named Dan who we ended up hanging out with on various other occasions. Danced the night way in the elephant lounge with my girls and the my favorite brits. Got home around 4 and off to work again in the morning. Life was perfect.
When I was 20 years old my first week was spent in Paris. Next Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, Liverpool and London.
I would like to emphasize the last two. When I was in my early teen years I was fascinated with London. That's where I wanted to go more than anything else. I told everyone I wanted to move there someday and I still do. But no one took me seriously back then. I was poor. Camping was my vacations. I lived in Eugene all of my life. But even being poor I still made it happen. I went there. Who ever didn't believe in me can fuck off. I'm doing it. I'm doing everything I want to. And yes it takes so much work and energy. It's my life and I'm not going to sit here and let it pass me by. As for liverpool....well that's my meca. I still can't believe I've been there.

I grew up so much during that time. It was just me and Brigette two girls experiencing the world for the first time. My first day after camp was over, I was in a german airport by myself having to find a way to another german airport to get to scotland. I took a handful of trains/busses/taxis/ and plane in one day in foreign lands. It made me independent. As for Brigette, this girl changed my life. We were always with eachother for 2 months of this crucial changing point in my life. It's a special kind of bond which is so hard to describe. If you're reading this brig...love you so much.
Coming home for the year was hard. I felt disconnected with life back home. Everyone was on this one page and I was in a whole different chapter. Everything was the same but I wasn't. The world I always knew from before was seen in a completely different lense this time. I don't think i've felt so lonely in my life. Luckily, I had a roommate that knew how to cheer me up and made me blow off too much homework for hours of complete BS and drunken chinese food. But still, I lost my old time friends this year.


So I went to Italy and am doing it alone.
I'm currently here right now.
So at 20, I've been to all the forementioned places and then some...like Verona, Vicenza, Venice, Lucca, Cinqueterre, Rome, Pisa, Pula;Croatia, Slovenia.
I've learned a lot. Sure as hell have eaten a lot, laughed, cried, lived.

I'm not sure where the wind will blow for my 21st year on earth besides back to munster, ny, boston, (hopefully budapest or prague as well). But anywhere the wind blows doesn't really matter to me. As long as it keeps on blowing.
"If I stay in one place I'll lose my mind, I'm a pretty impossible lady to be with".

I graduate college this year too.
I'm not sure how my life has become what it is but it's more than I ever expected of myself at a mere 21.

PS. Daniel Dawbers. I know you're reading. Thanks for putting up with all of my nonsense this year. x x x