Being awake in the culture

 "Had I not been awake, I would have missed it." This is the title and a line of a poem by Heaney. I feel like this best describes the time that I have had while being in this country. I feel like sleep can represent two different things here. One of them is actually sleeping. The other is not taking in the world around you. These days it is so hard to not be alert when you are in a place, and I feel like that is because of our phones. We tend to be so absorbed in them that we do not pay attention to what is going on around us. On this trip, that was not the case for me. I did not have an international service plan, so unless I had Wi-Fi, I could not use my phone. I feel like that was the best choice that I made. I was not asleep. I was able to view everything that was happening and able to appreciate it as it was happening. 

Another positive of this was that I really got to know people. Not just the people that I traveled here with, but those whom we have met while being here.  The other night was a prime example. We were invited to a bar, and there were musicians playing music, and it was nice to just sit and listen. I was awake and able to immerse myself in the culture, and for that I am so grateful!