Las rutas, putas!

I leave for Mexico this Friday. For some reason, I'm feeling no anxiety; everybody back here seems like they'll be fairly well taken-care of in my absence. It's still difficult for me to believe that any of my roommates can survive without my sage guidance, but they seem to be managing. As long as Jon keeps filling the candy jar, I at least know that no one will starve.

I, on the other hand, am getting giddy at the mere thought of taking buses around Cuernavaca. Las rutas. Tomamos las rutas, muchachos. I need help; I don't deny this.

My newfound peace of mind unfortunately comes at a time when I probably should be freaking out a little bit, especially now that I've noticed that I forgot to take my online placement exam. I suspect this won't be too much of a problem, but everything becomes exponentially more ornery when foreign lands and foreign tongues get mixed in. Hey, I'm halfway to being a diplomat, right? If I can't handle this one little oversight, I probably won't make it too far in the Foreign Service. Right now, at least, I feel fairly unstoppable. I'm expecting a call from Condi any minute now. "Sure, I'll talk to Kim Jong Il. If you want, I could pop by Iran on my way over; no, it's no trouble, really." Um, right.

Looking to the Bright Side

So, Ireland is definitely off. I save copious amounts of money, graduate early, and get to spend quality time with the people I give a damn about. I also don't get to go to Ireland. Alternatives exclude; such is life.

That'll probably be the last post until I leave. Flying out on September 2. Two short weeks. Good Lord.

Ireland In Jeopardy

Disclaimer: This is all speculation. I'm going to meet with my advisor and the Cork program coordinator before I come to any conclusions here.

I might have to change the title to just "Beans." Facts revealed this week are making Ireland look impossible - for example, the start date is January 3. That's a bit early, I thought, but manageable - except for the three-week international student orientation before classes start. I could practically fly directly to Ireland from Mexico if I have to be there on December 12. That would also mean missing Christmas, my birthday, New Year's, and a month of recuperating with the people I give a damn about.

On top of the ridiculous schedule, I need to take the Foreign Service Oral Exam sometime - to show that I'm adept at going down on foreign dignitaries as a bargaining technique, I guess (hey, plenty of countries have women in charge. I just have to pray that I get assigned to one of them and that she isn't like Margaret Thatcher). I have to schedule that sometime during the spring because all the September-December spots were snapped up. So if I go to Ireland, that means flying back to DC sometime during the semester - that's at least 700 bucks roundtrip, kids.

I'm torn. On the one hand, I really want to go to Ireland. I want to see how people live there, learn about Irish politics (much more dramatic than ours, courtesy of the IRA), and use it as a jumping-off point for cheaply touring Europe over my month-long Easter break. I just don't think that tours like the one I took in high school really let you get a feel for a place at all. It would also help me put some of this restlessness I get every couple of years to bed.

On the other hand, it's damn expensive. I'll actually save money by going to Mexico, but I would be reamed in Ireland. It'll be easier for me to take the exam in DC. I could potentially graduate by the end of next spring if I stayed, saving me even more money - maybe enough to afford a non-educational trip to Europe. Furthermore, are two consecutive semesters abroad really intelligent for someone who couldn't cut it socially in the exotic environment of Iowa City?

And then there's Andrea. Believe me, I have done my best to factor her in last here, although it's hard. I'm not going to give up Ireland just because I'll miss her, nor would she let me. Who even knows if we'll be together when I get back from Mexico? But the aforementioned complications are already looking like deal-breakers for the Ireland trip, so having her to come back to would definitely ease the disappointment. Reducing a nine-month separation to just three... giggity!

I feel like a spoiled brat after writing this. "Boohoo, I don't get to go to Ireland, wah." Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between wanting to do things because they're adventurous and challenging and wanting to do them because I think they'll be fun. Ireland is both of those things, I think, which makes it harder to figure out what the trip is worth to me.

Opening Volley

My life is good. Note:

1) Hilarious, trustworthy and loyal friends who are roommates.
2) Hilarious, trustworthy, and loyal girlfriend who understands me and, despite that, still manages to love me.
3) A good relationship with my mother.
4) Some kind of general direction, or something.
5) Decent grades and a passed Foreign Service Written Exam.

Needless to say, something must be done. That's why I'm leaving it all behind for three months to get wasted on tequila and cheap Corona in Mexico and then another five months in Ireland for whiskey and Guinness (and let's not forget the much-anticipated week-long EuroBrewery Tour).

Let's see what survives.