Well, real life is back again and the transition from Bike and Build has somewhat resembled the feeling of culture shock. The things that are completely acceptable on a cross-country bike trip, in a group of 32 people that spend 24/7 together, are not exactly normal in everyday life. For example, I can no longer...
- bring my camelbak wherever I go and look like a normal person (does this stop me? absolutely not)
- pee on the side of the road or behind a bush (going to the bathroom is so complicated now)
- randomly participate in giant cuddle puddles
- eat 6000 calories a day
- go to bed at 8:30 pm and not be missing out on the happenings of the evening
- where the same clothes every day...people would start to wonder
- not shower yet continue to have normal interactions with people
- ask cafes/stores/bike shops to give me discounts or free stuff for a good cause
- have morning/afternoon/evening dance parties (it's not the same by yourself)
Other frustrations...
- having so many clothes to choose from everyday
- having to figure out what I'm going to do each day
- nobody quite understands my summer
- my muscular biking thighs are slightly too large for my pants
- a lack of 32 buddies to bike with
Post-Bike and Build is now colliding with post-college life, which is quite ridiculous. I am in the midst of attempting to put together a collage like year of income sources and activities to keep me busy. Thus far this looks like teaching music at theatre camps, opening up a piano/voice studio, marketing myself as an accompanist...free lancing my way through this year. On top of that I am swing dancing a lot, taking historical interpretation classes, volunteering...and more. Now all I need is a house where I can grow a garden and live happily ever after with my dog :)
Here's an idea. Write a book about your bike ride. Publish it yourself and then give free talks about it, selling copies of the book from a table, signing them for people.
ReplyDeleteThus is the curse of bike and build. I can imagine it must be even more challenging with the awesome group you had and the whole post college thing.
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