Overseas Wrap-Up
Well, I have successfully made it back from France for the study abroad trip. The only way I can describe the visit is by saying it was mind boggling and humbling. As a whole, the trip consisted of me going from good ‘ol Valparaiso, to Chicago. Chicago to London, then London to France by train. Once I got to France, we took a plane back to Chicago, then a good ‘ol ‘Murican Jeep ride back home to Valparaiso.
I’m a massive homebody so going over there without family was brutal. It’s incredibly great to be back. I missed the family hardcore. Interestingly though, I’m also going to miss the group I went with quite a bit either. Recently I had to write a user manual on myself for the workplace. Basically, this document was meant to outline how I manage and interact with others, and communicate how I work and what makes me tick to people that get the misfortune of working with me. In doing this, I decided it’d be a good time to double check my Myers-Briggs personality type as well. The last time I had done this was about 10 years ago, and I fell into an INTJ personality type. Now I pretty much did a 180 flip and am sitting ta an ESFJ personality type. It is weird to make the connection on how I flipped from an introvert to an extrovert, and seeing that I am actually going to miss being around people is kind of a shock factor for me.
I planned to do a day by day post of what happened while I was overseas, but honestly, I was so wrapped up in everything going on, I just flat couldn’t. For a bit of word vomit here, the itinerary consisted of school stuff that I will leave out, but started with landing in London, figuring out the trains, walking randomly through the streets, eating food, sight seeing, blah blah usual tourist stuff. I got to see a Chelsea FC game, so now apparently I am a football fan, and by football I mean soccer. There’s a lot of stuff to do and see in London, but for those of you that know me, what just instantly broke my brain was the architecture. Every flipping building is INSANDE. How did they build these huge beautiful buildings by hand, when the most advanced bit of technology was a hammer. I mean, it’s crazy! The buildings are huge, and everywhere! I sit there looking in awe of these monster buildings, wondering how they are so intricately detailed and carved, and how they are so huge, and how there are so many. I walk through Chicago and look at the big buildings and think “Give me a day and I can 3D model that in CAD.” I look at Westminster Abbey and think “Give me a month and maybe I can make something that kinda looks like that in CAD…. maybe?” How these homies made these monsters WITHOUT modern tech just is unfathomable.
Then comes Paris. Paris is nuts too. Except we were in a questionable area, which was…. adventurous. Stuff, things, trains, more stuff, shopping. That was the start of Paris. I wasn’t too impressed at first, then you start hitting up the stuff you see on TV, and in movies, and your mind melts again. Sitting on a coffee shop outside on the street makes you feel like a secret agent talking to an informant or something. Or maybe romantic? I don’t know, but it feels cool. There was a dude playing a tuba blowing fire out of it across the street so that was prettttty cool. Weirdly, there were a lot of butts in Paris too. I guess they really like sculpting butts over there. Then the Eiffel tower. I had zero intention of seeing it, but walking through the city in the middle of the night, munching some ‘noms at a tiny café, and then seeing the Eiffel tower up close late at night had to be arguably one of the coolest experiences in my life. I did not see that coming. Then more Paris stuff blah blah blah.
Following that, came Versailles. I had no idea what to expect but a giant castle with gold all over and a monster garden was not it. Holy cow, not only was the palace amazing, but the whole area is. That whole commune is crazy, the stores are adorable, the architecture is flattering, and the people were just so sweet and patient. It was completely different than anything else. I think If I could go back and just be a gardener at the palace, I totally would.
Then we fly back. I got to Chicago, walked out of the airport, saw a Chevy Tahoe and instantly went “Oh thank goodness, real cars!” Got home, got a burger, and am now trying to settle down.
All in all, a good trip. I know this blog is supposed to be about the business, work stuff, what’s going on at Pullins Enterprises LLC. But I am also going to abuse this space for personal use at time to time. I guess it can kind of tie together because I had to dump my orders on my amazing wife, but she had her hands full, so I apologize in advanced for any longer than usual deliveries! I also thank everyone for the patience with us as we had to do this.
None-the-less… thanks for the continued support!
