Train of Reality

      Today was one of those days when the reality that things are changing really hits you in the face. Today, I took three finals to complete my online classes. That leaves only AP English between me and Graduation. As I was walking out of the school, it felt weird to think that that was one of the last times I would be in that building as a student. I have felt this before on the last days of fourth grade and eighth grade, but this time it was much different. This time, I'm not just going into some new mildly risk free environment, this time I am going into the real world. Germany and college feel tangible now. Even a few months ago, none of this seemed real. It was just an event in the unseen future. Now I am marching ceaselessly towards it, as if I am on an unstoppable collision course with it. With this new certainty, Germany finally feels, seems, and is real to me. It is actually happening. I am beyond excited.
       With this new acceptance, seemingly minor events that would usually seem rather insignificant hold new meaning. One example of such is that today, my audio system in its current iteration was played for the final time.

     Then it was taken apart, and the components moved to their new homes. Its swan song holds a huge amount of meaning to me. It talks about childhood dreams, and leaving that safe place of youth and venturing out into the world. Finally, it talks about even when you are weary of everything you do, you still look to that horizon and run for it. High Hopes was indeed the fitting final song for an audio system that has been with me through so much, and will be with me in different iterations and combinations as time, as life goes on.

      Now, I have 24 days left in Ohio before I take off to a new continent. There is still some uncertainty because I do not have a host family as of yet. That is nerve-wracking. Now, it is time to wait; it is out of my hands now. I just need to maintain some semblance of patience.

      In the Middle Earth that is this exchange, there is some news.  Every now and then a Hobbit comes along, who makes the waiting a little easier, even enjoyable. And our aforementioned Latvian is going. Everything worked out for her.

The song High Hopes is from the Pink Floyd album Division Bell. The version played as a swan song was the 2014 reissue on vinyl, played on a Sony PS-X500.