Expectations

I am most excited for this course out of all the courses I have taken. Mostly because I get to travel and see an amazing city. Not only will I be doing a lot of a travel blogging but I will always have those blogs to look back on and remind me of this time in my life. Who knows if I will ever get another chance to visit New Orleans, especially since I am going with a couple of my best nursing school friends. Being in the city and exploring is going to make learning about New Orleans completely different then if I were to just read about it in a text book. I think the best way to learn is to go out and experience things and that is exactly what I will be able to do in this course. As departure day gets closer and closer all I can do is think about how the trip will be. I honestly can say I am extremely nervous, not just for the train ride but leaving my seven-year-old son behind. I am nervous for the train ride because I have never been on a train. I don’t know what to expect and I am a little anxious that the rocking of the train might make me feel sick. Then again, that’s just me, the over thinker/ hypochondriac. Mostly, I think this trip is going to be a once in a life-time experience. I have never been to Louisiana and I am super excited to see everything. I am really excited to see the cemeteries in New Orleans as weird as that sounds. I think so they are so fascinating the way the graves are in above ground tombs. I think the cemeteries are beautiful at least from the pictures I have seen.

      When I was sitting in Humanities 301 last semester and Colleen mentioned this course I immediately knew I wanted to be able to experience this class. Not only for the amazing opportunity to travel to New Orleans of all places but also have the unique experience of a travel course while I am in nursing school. I do not know any other nursing students that have been able to do a travel course through their nursing college. I feel we are extremely lucky at Methodist to have these opportunities. I had my son at a young age therefore never have been able to take any vacations without him. Granted, I haven’t taken many vacations in my life period. So, I knew I had to take this opportunity to travel somewhere fun, without my child and with friends. Not only am I getting to go somewhere awesome but I am also gaining credit hours toward my nursing school career. I am anxious to learn about the culture in New Orleans because it is so diverse and different from Illinois. The food intrigues me and frightens me just a little. I am excited to try the different foods and see if I like it.

I am most looking forward to the experience of this trip. It is a trip full of new things for me. Riding a train for the first time, going to a very unique city that I have never stepped foot in, riding a street car, trying foods that are foreign to me and lastly spending time with other people who have the same calling as me, nursing. I am also looking forward to somewhat taking a break away from nursing school and Illinois. Being away from all the stresses that those things bring with them and getting to spend a week in another place and appreciate the life I have.