Eastward and Onward!

So after much deliberation and thought, it seems that I've made some progress in figuring out just where I'd like my life to go. And, apparently that direction is to the east!

Two weeks from tomorrow I will be flying to the UK and I just can't wait! Despite the fact that I've lived in Germany twice, I, somehow, never made it to the UK so this will be my first visit. I am excited for a multitude of reasons, besides this being my first trip to the land from which my bloodline hails.

First off, there's Dan. It seems a bit insane to say I am falling for someone I haven't yet met face to face but it's the truth, crazy or not. In the past few months Dan's become my best friend. The first person I want to tell when anything remotely interesting happens in my little world. The good. The bad. And everything in between. Finally meeting him in person is something for which I’ve been rather impatiently waiting! It seems a bit surreal to think it will be very soon now.

Also, after some soul searching and web searching, I have begun the process of applying for graduate studies in the UK. No, this is not because of Dan. He's just the icing on the cake. I've known for a while I wanted to go back to school but never felt I was in the place to do so but with losing my job and having absolutely no success procuring another, it seems like the universe might be pointing me in that direction.

Why the UK? Well, I want to study European/International Studies and what better place to study such a thing then in Europe? My German has lost much of it's luster over the years due to lack of use so I knew pursuing my graduate studies in the land of beer and pretzels was likely not in the cards. So, an English speaking country it would have to be.

After doing gobs of research I was drawn to the UK's system, as well as the fact that US Stafford Loans work there. (AM will be needing lots of loans to swing this!) So, I found a number of schools with programs that appeal to me and what I want to study. A few weeks ago I sent out all the applications. So far I have already been accepted to two of the eight schools to which I applied and am super stoked. So my trip to the UK will no longer be just for sightseeing and Dan-seeing, it will also now be for university-seeing. I can't wait!

So, it seems that my little compass may be working after all!