Synchronicity in The Wanderer

Well things sure have changed for the better in the past year! I decided to get back on prose, partly hoping that the two people I follow regularly on here will stay updated as well! It’s easy to get sucked in my own day-to-day life, and lately I’ve noticed I’ve been slacking in the social world.

Where to begin?
I moved in with Austin, Max, and Frank over in Riverside. I definitely enjoy living with dudes far more than females. And we all seem to contribute our own thing to the place. Max is the fixer-upper, I buy the groceries, clean, and cook, Austin has the most flexible income and can buy things the rest of us can’t afford like a much needed AC unit, and Frank always comes in with the booze, pizza, and hilarious stories. The house is owned by Max, who inherited it from his grandpa, so we got a very good deal on rent. Plus he re-did that master room and bathroom for us. Jasper loves living here–especially with such a huge backyard. We set up a hammock and some windchimes outside and there is also a firepit, so I can’t wait for fall to come so we can have more bonfires.

School has seriously changed my perspectives on the future. It is crazy to think that only a year ago, I was so unsure of what to do. I am very thankful I enrolled where I did because the psych program is AMAZING. I’ve had many opportunities to get involved in things such as research and the honor’s program, that I hope help me get into Duquesne! The summer break has been so long, and I can’t wait to get back into my studies. I have so much to do–but I spent a lot of time this summer doing lit reviews and focusing on my thesis. On top of that, I’ve been studying for the GRE, which I am taking next Tuesday—eeek! I’ve also been doing a lot of research about phenomenology and reading books recommended to me by Duquesne professors. I was able to attend a talk by one of the professors, who happened to be at Pacifica the same exact time I was in Santa Barbara for Jennifer’s wedding. I was able to have a one-on-one conversation with him and he said, “Natalie, most people who apply to the clinical program are just shooting for whatever and have no dedication to the philosophy of our program and if you show a sincere interest in it, I am sure you will be selected for an interview.” SO I am really hoping it all works out. I am kind of at the point that if it doesn’t work out, I’m scared at having to figure out different plans. I want this so badly and I can’t imagine doing anything else with the rest of my life. BUT, I’ve been having so many synchronicities that I really feel the universe is conspiring in my favor. (Ever read The Alchemist?) So basically, we all have this niche in life that we are unaware we must acknowledge, a purpose that drives us, an inner acorn. When we finally realize our calling, our Personal Legend, we can finally understand our own personal meaning of existence and it is like things finally feel aligned. Depression and anxiety withers away and life finally seems to make sense. This is something that I’ve understood on a surface level for so long. I remember following 118 and the Eiffel tower, the peacock and all the other signs I’d notice. I knew they were something more than coincidence. I felt something greater than myself for once in life, even if I could not believe in an organized religion–I could believe in something. I also think back to my obsession with Albert Camus and existentialism. Now that I am studying Carl Jung, his ideas on synchronicity, the fact that psychology and philosophy is connected and appreciated in some approaches, things finally feel connected again and it is as if I am on the right path. It is as if I knew it all along, I just didn’t know it was actually a thing. That existential-phenomenology is exactly what I’ve been searching for this entire time. I am aware on a more deeper level and I know my personal purpose revolves around these synchronicities and I can stand on the back of giants and validate my existence.

Well, that got deep fast. To change the subject, I have had quite an adventurous summer! Probably one of the best I’ve had in a long time. It started with getting accepted for the Alaska trip. I was wandering the halls at school one day and noticed a flyer for an upcoming Alaska trip that was put together by the Rec center–a place I had never even stepped foot in. I had just been thinking about how I wanted to visit Alaska, and this trip involved service opportunities that sounded very inspiring–so I applied. We had a group interview where we had to play these ice-breaker type games and the people who were going to choose us were observing how we interacted in a large group. They had 5 different interviews you could choose to go to, and each one had about 20 people and they told us they were only choosing 15. So I figured my odds of 15 out of 100ish weren’t so great. Then we had to fill out an online survey explaining why we would be a good choice. I was very surprised when they called me to tell me I was selected! The trip was one of the best experiences of my life. We arrived in Anchorage late the first night, got situated in our dorm rooms and woke up bright and early the next day to do service work at the Hertitage Center. Throughout the week we went to different service places and learned so much about the community. It has really changed the way I want to travel in the future. I’m so used to bar-hopping and experiencing life from one perspective when I travel, that I realize I miss out on so much—the culture, the way of life, the nature. So next time I do a trip to a place I’ve never been I want to meet up with locals and ask How can I be of service?
We also went to Homer and stayed in a Yurt on this island that only people studying the environment/volunteers have access to. It was so beautiful and I really appreciated their way of living–without leaving a carbon footprint. Something I’ve always admired, yet find difficult to achieve living in the armpit of California. We went on plenty of adventures and I learned so much about myself and bonded with a lot of amazing people.

Another highlight of this summer was finally using a passport and seeing another country! Austin and I went to Costa Rica and stayed at an all-inclusive resort. The trip started out stressful we ended up missing our flight and it was this huge $700 ordeal where we had to fly a redeye to Miami and catch a plane to Costa Rica from there....But when we finally arrived, it was all worth it! We had access to the most amazing food I’ve ever had all day–I actually gained 8 pounds on this trip–haha! Also, the booze was unlimited–so lots of floating around in paradise sipping on amazing Costa Rican beverages. We explored a couple wildlife centers and saw so many animals and beautiful birds–my favorite was a bright pink bird, the color of a flamingo and as big as a hawk. It was so weird to just be able to relax all day and not worry about a thing. We had a lot of long conversations and I am happy him and I have the same goals for the future. He is very supportive when it comes to me obtaining a PhD, and he finally agreed that we could and should move to Pittsburgh if the opportunity presents itself. This is a huge thing, because for the longest time he seemed unsure of the idea. The good thing is, he can get a nursing job anywhere and he loves traveling just as much as I do. Our next big adventure is going to most likely be Europe–the timing on that is up in the air though due to not knowing exactly where the future of my education will take us!

We are planning a lot of small things to do and look forward to this year though, like Glen Ivy, ziplining (since we loved it so much in Costa Rica!), our annual trip to Sedona/Jerome/Flagstaff, AZ, and John should be out in December and we want to take him to Temecula. Overall, life seems to be going quite well. It is so nice to finally feel at peace and able to focus on school and not worry about having to work more than 20 hours a week. <3

Last updated September 08, 2016