What do you do?

So last night during our class, we were discussing the concept of European citizenship that was created in 1992 with the Treaty of Mastrich which created a government for the European Union, created the Euro (instituted in 2000), and created the idea for many rights Europeans now have because they are European. But to start out our conversation about citizenship our prof asked us if we felt European while we were here in Europe. Of course the immediate response was “No!” In fact we feel much more American in Europe than we ever do in America… so of course her next question was why not? Which was a very different question. She said, outside of language what felt so different about Europe that made us feel so much like we were not Europeans, but very clearly Americans. We answered with several different things, but I suggested that perhaps it was the different mentality of the two places that are so different… and even if you don’t speak it out loud, or even realize it, it is this mentality difference that makes the two places feel so different.

I recount this small anecdote, perhaps to make you think about it… but also because I think it might be this American mentality that I have that is pushing me to ask this question: What am I going to do with experience when it is over? It is still far from over; but as I approach the halfway point, I am already being pushed by some inner drive in me to ask myself what I am going to use this for when it is all over… and I think the American mentality is one that is very centred around action, you are what you do. The first question you ask is “what do you do?” or “what do your parents do?” Whether or not it is a good thing, often times this is how we define ourselves… it has a lot to do with a lot of things, but I can’t help but ask myself, “what am I going to do?”

I have also been reading Donald Miller’s newest book on the bus in the mornings and in the evenings, called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years and he frames the book with the theme of stories. He says life is like a story, and you are your own character, and you are responsible for living a good story, an outstanding story, or just a mediocre one, whichever you choose to live. This has caused me to think about the kind of story I am living, is it a good one? A selfish one? An exciting one? Could I be living a better; more meaningful one? Could my experience here help me to do that? In deciding to do this have I set myself on a path to live a quality and meaningful story? Donald Miller says, “People love to have lived a great story, but few people like the work it takes to make it happen.” Right now I feel up to the challenge… I want to put in the work to make it happen.

So right now I don’t have the answer my question yet about what exactly I am going to do, and how I am going to use this experience to continue to try to live an exciting and meaningful story… so I hope you weren’t expecting an answer… I suppose I’ll just have to get back to you on that one.

Random post, but it these thoughts were just in my head. If you all get tired of the reflective posts then just stick to the ones with pictures… Rome II Thursday and Friday is coming soon!