the decision

I never had any intentions of going to Poland. I was planning on going to Italy as part of the school program. I mean, really, which would you choose; communist Poland or Italy?

Then Carol asked me to come to the meeting. She and her boyfriend were planning on going to Poland. OK, I'll sit in the basement classroom and listen to the spiel. Funny thing happened, I wanted to go. Huh? Why? Was it because Carol was planning on going? Did Tony do such a good job selling the trip? Was it finding out that Fred was going to be the professor? I dunno, I can't recall.

Anyway, I left that meeting thinking that I needed to find a job so I could pay for the trip and in a couple of weeks, I had an interview at SVM. After the Saturday meeting with Steve, I drove home to tell mom of my plans. I smile when I think back to it. I told her, I didn't ask. Carol asked and was told she could not go.

I got the part-time job and spent the next weeks preparing for the trip; getting my passport, planning for my month of travel after school ended in May. Unsurprisingly, my grades remained high as I do better when I am forced to manage my time.