"Crystal-Clear Ball" - Day Four

Location: MUNICH, GERMANY

This morning was like Christmas in my own Winter Wonderland. I woke up at 5 a.m. and laid patiently under my covers until I heard my roommate showering in the bathroom. That was my cue. I jumped out of bed, bounding for my hallway closet. I searched through the piles of neatly folded and newly laundered clothing trying to find that special combination. I had to look the part because today was the first day of my internship.

I had slept a little more than 5 hours and the sun was hiding somewhere, anywhere, besides the Munich skies. I walked bundled up in my winter coat through the gray and black, or sometimes yellow, but never white, snow. Yet, I had a cheery disposition and about eight hours of work ahead of me.

At the risk of violating my previous statement that I would avoid the J-O-B topic, I will say that today is the day I realized that I am right where I am meant to be. Three years ago, I was sitting with my father in a small cafe in Daytona Beach commiserating about my upcoming graduation. At this point, I still had a year left in college, but it was nearing the end of my studies and I had still not answered the age-old "what to do when I grow up" question. Dad had me write out what I thought were some characteristics or topics that interested me:

I want to travel.

I want to speak languages (German primarily).

I want to write

I want to study foreign relations.

Dad said, "Why don't you consider ______? I think it would be a company that would offer great opportunities and one where you could grow upon your current skill sets." People, parents and teachers alike had been asking me for years about my future plans. And here it was. Written on a napkin! Now, a lot has happened since that day, including the addition of two specialized minors onto my major, another internship, some chance meetings, a supportive family and friend base and of course, graduation from college.

But, today, as I was sitting in my first conference, doodling on a notepad, I looked up at the snow falling outside in the courtyard. A few flakes landed on the window and began to melt. As, I watched the drops slide down the window, I knew soon they would be grey, black or even yellow snow again. But for now, it was all clear.