Send Me On My Way -Rusted Roots

Dec 24, 2012

Happy Holidays!

It's Christmastime! I hope this Holiday finds you well and in good spirits. Not much is going on in regards to my trip but I do have an update. Jamie, one of the other Newman students travelling to Birmingham, bought her flight a few days ago. She made sure we will meet up in Minneapolis and fly to Amsterdam then Birmingham together. She is a bit tentative about the trip so hopefully it will ease her stress a little having a familiar face along for the flight. I don't mind at all and anyway we can split the cost of travel from the airport to the school campus if we arrive together. That's all I have for now, so call in the family, snuggle up next to the fireplace, and wait for Santa. Until next time! Merry Christmas.

-Russell xoxo

Dec 18, 2012

The First Step

     No one knows exactly when the first step of their journey begins. I don't. Was it in middle school when I caught the adventure bug? When I first traveled to Europe? Heard of the new exchange program? Or will it be when I step on the plane? Regardless, my 199 day adventure abroad is approaching. I decided to write my first post today because I just bought my plane ticket. Well, my parents bought it for me as my Christmas gift (thank you!), but now it's starting to feel real.
     So far, what I know is this:
I will be studying from January to May at Newman University College in Birmingham and I'm in four theatre classes. During the summer, I have plans to meet up with Tolli in Germany, Grandma Cici in Rome, Leah in Spain, and Megan in London. The rest of the summer is open to any possibility. I do, however, have a list of things I want to do and places I want to see and at this point that includes visiting Stratford upon Avon, ordering the special at The Elephant House (the coffee shop where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter), visiting Paris, seeing a show in the Shakespeare Globe, seeing the Colosseum, and walking around the ruins of an ancient Greek theatre.
     My intention with this blog is to share my story with whoever wants to read about it in real time and with more detail intact than if I were to just retell the stories of my trip by memory. I named my blog "The Adventures of Russell Merlot" because I like to think of my life as a great novel or fantastic play where Russell Merlot (Rusty Marlo) is the epic hero. Plus I just like the sound of it.
     This concludes my pilot post. If anyone has any questions, advice, recommendations, or comments, please post a comment. Looking forward to my adventure.

-Russell Merlot