It's a car, it's a plane.......it's a train?!

For the first time since January 2010, I am currently riding a train!  The last, and only, time I had done this was when a group of us rode from Lancaster, PA to NYC to celebrate my former roommate’s birthday in the Big Apple.  What a fun trip that had been and oh how I miss making memories with my best friends from college (and others)!!

 

Enjoying dinner at a Peruvian restaurant our first night in NYC!

Ironically, this birthday trip for Ash occurred just days after I had submitted my paperwork for acceptance to the PhD program as well as the Fellowship I applied for…I clearly recall sitting in the train car and chatting with Matt and Monika about the possibility of moving to NC that summer to go back to school and how surreal a move like that happening seemed at the time. 

In some ways, that ride, and conversation, feel like they occurred forever ago. 

Life is so different now from how it was then.  I can’t help but wonder what other changes and circumstances I will face in the future as life continues to evolve.  Today, I am on my way to Washington, DC to co-present at a national conference within my professional field and to catch up with colleagues from around the country.  Margo is sitting somewhere on this train as she got on it two stops after I did.  It’s funny we’re both heading to the same place but aren’t sitting in the same car.  Prior to picking up Margo, my big brother had dropped me off at the quaint train station located in the heart of historical downtown High Point.  He even sat with me for about ten minutes before the train arrived..literally walking me to my train car on the platform…I’m so lucky to have had my big brother with me for this portion of my life’s journey.  I can 100% say that had it not been for the generous and selfless support of my NC family over the last almost 4 years, I would never had made it...from putting a roof over my head, allowing me to bring my pup to live with them, and providing feedback/advice on homework, projects, and just life in general.  If I’m being honest, I wouldn’t have even taken the first step and broken out of my comfort zone back home in PA and come South so Brian, Alisha, and their children played a crucial role in my life since the summer of 2010 as well as supported me as I reached one of my lifelong goals/dreams.

And oh what crazy unforeseen events resulted from placing myself in NC back in August 2010!!  Yesterday I interviewed with a school in South Carolina.  On Tuesday I fly to Ohio for 24 hours then finally make my way to California less than a week later (yippee!!!!) … Gosh, a few minutes ago, I received an email inviting me for a follow up interview in SC.  Goodness gracious, when it rains it pours….I guess it’s a good thing I love to travel!