Darien Don - My Story
My name is Darien Don Amma Kumluq Southall. I am (at the moment) a Justice student at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. As much as I've been pinning for Law School I find that I might be unhappy with that as well. Why? Because I fear I'll be stuck and always putting off that trip if I continue on the path I walk. So, I finally decided that it's time to make my own.
Ever since I began learning of the historical and fun places a person can see around the world I was hooked and wanted to see them all. That was a little before I started junior high. After that, I became completely infatuated with different cultures and religions and historical sites. The need to see all of it with my own two eyes became even stronger. Sadly, somewhere along the line after junior high to last year I lost the absolute need to travel. Instead, I focused on the logical and what was expected of me...going to college and getting a college.
When I worked toward entering a good college, I focused on school and what career I wanted to enter. I put traveling on the back burner. So, that was how my life was for about 5 years. Just working and working towards a 9-5 job. Last year, my view was turned back to traveling when my older sister (Amanda, 21) told everyone she was going to Rome for school. At first, I was like "Well, that really good." and as time went on all I wanted to do was go too. And guess what? I am. This spring, for a week, I'm going to visit my older sister with my little sister (Svea, 18) in Rome. We leave mid-March.
This development in my life sparked the fire that went out 5 years earlier. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was leave. I wanted to see the world more than to study. I always was the good student who turned in the homework and got all A's on tests. I just coasted. I was never prepped or ready for college, because it takes real studying and time from my life. I never had to do that before. Even after a 3 semesters I have not adjusted and I have no passion to study anymore. My sisters think that I'm looking for the easy way out, but I'm not. I never said I was going to quit school forever. Just do things when I can before I become nailed down. My mother is 50 years old and she still hasn't left the country. I don't want that to happen to me.
Leaving to travel is not the "easy way" for me. I know that, as easy as it sounds, going to different countries is going to be hard. I'll need to fend for myself and make friends and connections from scratch. Honestly, thats one thing I am good at, because I love meeting now people. I want my sisters to understand that this is my passion. Just like architecture is Amanda's passion. Everyone has their own passion and it shouldn't be judged if they don't go to college or start a career. I have that problem because everyone thought I was going to be successful in being a damn good lawyer...a doctor before that. Like I was going to succeed at anything because I retained information. So, I'm going. Just going to go and experience everything I can and show everyone I am making the right choice.
I have told my sisters, Amanda and Svea, and my mother, Kristen, that I am going to leave in the end of August. In 7 months...I'll finally being going on the adventure I've always wanted to go on. Even so, I still have a lot to do...EHIC, Work Visa, Int'l driver's license, etc. Even with all the hard work and paper work, I am stoked to finally be following a dream that I chased after several years ago and see everything I've wanted to see.
Ever since I began learning of the historical and fun places a person can see around the world I was hooked and wanted to see them all. That was a little before I started junior high. After that, I became completely infatuated with different cultures and religions and historical sites. The need to see all of it with my own two eyes became even stronger. Sadly, somewhere along the line after junior high to last year I lost the absolute need to travel. Instead, I focused on the logical and what was expected of me...going to college and getting a college.
When I worked toward entering a good college, I focused on school and what career I wanted to enter. I put traveling on the back burner. So, that was how my life was for about 5 years. Just working and working towards a 9-5 job. Last year, my view was turned back to traveling when my older sister (Amanda, 21) told everyone she was going to Rome for school. At first, I was like "Well, that really good." and as time went on all I wanted to do was go too. And guess what? I am. This spring, for a week, I'm going to visit my older sister with my little sister (Svea, 18) in Rome. We leave mid-March.
This development in my life sparked the fire that went out 5 years earlier. Suddenly, all I wanted to do was leave. I wanted to see the world more than to study. I always was the good student who turned in the homework and got all A's on tests. I just coasted. I was never prepped or ready for college, because it takes real studying and time from my life. I never had to do that before. Even after a 3 semesters I have not adjusted and I have no passion to study anymore. My sisters think that I'm looking for the easy way out, but I'm not. I never said I was going to quit school forever. Just do things when I can before I become nailed down. My mother is 50 years old and she still hasn't left the country. I don't want that to happen to me.
Leaving to travel is not the "easy way" for me. I know that, as easy as it sounds, going to different countries is going to be hard. I'll need to fend for myself and make friends and connections from scratch. Honestly, thats one thing I am good at, because I love meeting now people. I want my sisters to understand that this is my passion. Just like architecture is Amanda's passion. Everyone has their own passion and it shouldn't be judged if they don't go to college or start a career. I have that problem because everyone thought I was going to be successful in being a damn good lawyer...a doctor before that. Like I was going to succeed at anything because I retained information. So, I'm going. Just going to go and experience everything I can and show everyone I am making the right choice.
I have told my sisters, Amanda and Svea, and my mother, Kristen, that I am going to leave in the end of August. In 7 months...I'll finally being going on the adventure I've always wanted to go on. Even so, I still have a lot to do...EHIC, Work Visa, Int'l driver's license, etc. Even with all the hard work and paper work, I am stoked to finally be following a dream that I chased after several years ago and see everything I've wanted to see.