Where have I been? I see sometimes these maps of the world, where you can scratch off the countries you’ve visited. Sometimes this makes me a little sad because I can only really count off 5 countries which I’ve been to, 4 if you don’t count stopovers on flights. Besides California, I haven’t travelled beyond the Eastern Seaboard in America. I’m not much of an explorer when it comes to new surroundings- I like the old familiar. So when asked where I’ve been, I usually think I have a boring answer. But then I actually tell people about my life. How I lived in Israel for 5 years of my life. How I’m bilingual as a result. I talk about the different experiences I’ve had living in another country. And people are impressed. So geographically, I’ve been to a couple of pretty interesting places, and lived a unique life.

But location is just one aspect of where I’ve been. Because this more than a question asked to check off a map of places the FRO Class of ’15 has been. This is life experiences. This is the mile marker at the crossroads of my life, with a path approaching and another leaving from it, built on the foundations of the preceding journey. So where have I been? I’ve been in a Mock Trial team for 4 years, which has propelled me towards a law career. I’ve been in various cultural events in my high school like book and film clubs, Shakespearean festivals and the like. From there I have taken interest in liberal arts, hoping to expand my mind and broaden my horizons, while also sharing the horizons I have already seen with fellow classmates (like those who have yet to see The Grand Budapest Hotel).

Ultimately, where would I like to go? I fantasize about retirement. You may laugh. That’s okay. I envision a house upstate, where the land is measured in acres, not square feet. The lawn can be described as sprawling, and my grandchildren love to run around in it (I can see a dog being there, but it’s not a necessity. I am a cat person, but a dog just fits this vision more). In my middle age, I would have taken a woodworking class, where I built myself a rocking chair. I have a porch, where I sit, rocking slowly, reading a good book, probably rereading a Vonnegut. That’s the dream.

Between now and then, I’m going to learn. I plan to take classes that fit requirements, that fit my interest, or fit my need to see more of the world and its ways. College is for me a learning and a growing experience. I hope to find a good, prestigious, well-paying job at a law firm, where I can build towards my retirement. I like where I’m headed.