Thanks Mom
During my senior year of high school, I received a recruiting phone call from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. My scores on a national German language test had been high enough, that they thought I would be a good candidate for their German language immersion program. Students would live at the school's German village (Concordia runs some incredible summer language camps in northern Minnesota, and the architecture of the camp is designed in the style of that country) and complete the requirements for a German major in one year. Then, upon returning to the main campus, they would have three years to complete general education courses and any other majors they might be interested in.
Great idea, but I was the wrong person for the program. My mother knew this, but let me go along with the crazy scheme. I guess I was just so thrilled that someone actually wanted me. Besides--with German out of the way, I'd have more time to work on other languages to be a UN translator!
I hated it. The class at Bemidji was small--only 52 people--and we all shared 2 dorms + 2 administrative buildings. My RA was a nightmare, and one of the professors was boorish. I managed to stick it out for the semester (huge phone bills and massive amounts of anti-depressants were required), and then my mother drove up to Bemidji in a huge blizzard to pick me up and bring me back home.
----
Then there was the time I threw my knee out in Gillette, WY, and had to take the bus to Cheyenne--Mom was right there to pick me up again, pumpkin sized knee and all.
Thanks, Mom. I know I still don't listen to you, but I do know that you love me.
Comments
I still love you and I'd do it all again. And the thing I remember most about that horrible drive through the ice and snow and only one headlight and all the cars sliding off the road and not sure of where I was going and no cell phone to call you and tell you I was late or I needed to stop, was the way you hugged me when I finally made it.
Posted by: Mom | January 22, 2005 10:11 AM