The Final Countdown
By Harrison Cho
I would love to start off by apologizing to Ms. Miller for
typing this. Things will inevitably be censored for their content or completely
omitted. I apologize I apologize I apologize. Please enjoy.
Cusco in the foreground, Miles Davis in the background. What
a good night it has been thus far. I don’t consider myself a pensive person,
nor a cathartic person at that, but for the next few moments of your time I
will try and wow you with just these characteristics. If you haven’t been
monitoring your children lately, then you would be surprised to find out that they
are in Peru. Don’t pack those bags and rent your clothing in sadness yet
though, you’re in luck. It’s is our last day here in this wonderful country.
Your student may tell you of the exhilarating experiences of
running up mountains, speaking into the porcelain telephone, or communicating
with the many people that we met in our adventure, but I can guarantee they
will not tell you of the inner change that he or she may have made. I will try
and relate this to you as best as I can. Internal change beings with the
external, as counterintuitive as that may appear. Unwanted Body hair, the lack
of bathing or basic oral hygiene, and common trips to the bathroom are the
impetus for this change. Fortitude of the body leads to fortitude of the mind:
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” - Frederich Nietzsche. This
quote is a simple summation of what has gone on in the past week externally.
Through sickness, dehydration, the cold, and the impressive language barrier we
have become stronger in body. I digress though.
Though the external change was unwarranted in every single
way, shape, and form, it was all for the better. While confined to a sick bed
for two days, it gave me more than enough time to be the solipsistic individual
that I thought was nonexistent. “What am I doing with my life,” I thought to
myself as I furiously coughed. “What really makes me a happy person,” I
pondered as I lay in bed dehydrated. While I was alone for two days, Peru gave
each of us enough time to consider what we would be doing for the immediate
future. While I may have had a few moments more to consider what I thought
about life and existence as a whole, you should be confident in knowing there
is a changed individual returning to the United States.
We are not the smartest people to ever live nor the most
insightful. We are not the strongest nor the fastest. We are not the happiest
nor the most gracious. Instead, we are human beings who are trying to progress
to these states of being. We are teenagers ready to take on the world, solve
its problems, and evaluate its state of being. We may not tell you how we have
changed. We may feel afraid. We may not want to divulge any information at all
to be quite honest. (I’ll try my best to tell you everything ma.) We have
changed though. We have come back with individual goals that challenge our
comfort zone. We are happy to be coming back.
To be honest I don’t really know what else to say to give a
final summation. We are sitting in the lobby of our inn ready to depart for
burgers, Walmart, and easily obtainable firearms. I’m ready to be back. We are
ready.
We will miss Peru.
To end this, I’ll type the lyrics to a famous song that some
of you might know.
“We’re leaving together
But still it’s
farewell
And maybe we’ll come
back
To Earth, who can
tell?
I guess there is no
one to blame
We’re leaving ground
Will things ever be the
same again?
It’s the final
countdown”
Adios Peru. It has been both the best of times and the worst
of times. We will see you in a day’s time patient parents. (Mom please don’t
forget me at the airport.)
