Personal Narrative: Pompeii Versus The World

The diversity of thought among people from all corners of Earth breeds an air of excitement and curiosity. Flying ignites a passion to explore new places and meet new people. I love Lincoln, Nebraska, but I love the exhilaration of new experiences that come with traveling.The unique food, culture, and architecture at every unique location taunt me, calling for me to abandon my home in search of fulfillment elsewhere. Exposure to the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Los Angeles is a breath of fresh air from the monotony of Nebraskan life. Touching down in New York City at the end of a long flight is only the start of a new journey into a melting pot laced with opportunity for those who seek it. The idea of building my own path in a hub of diversity and opportunity is beyond appealing. Traveling to new places with varying demographics and cultures spoils the explorer within me who craves interaction outside of the incubator I call

Stepping out of my first plane ride, I experience an epiphany of new culture, which seems to me as a whole new world. Buzzing around my ears are conversations in an unfamiliar language that intrigues me. It then struck me that after twenty hours of a seemingly perpetual plane ride that I finally arrived in The United States of America, a country full of new opportunities. It was this moment that I realized how diverse and big this world is. This is the story of my new life in America.

A few years back I was sailing the open ocean with my leader, Odysseus, and the rest of the crew heading home when Odysseus informed us that we would be taking the long route home. As we grew closer to a strange island, the wind stopped and the water became quiet.

First things first: I shouldn’t be alive. I mean I shouldn’t be dead either, but, hmmm, I guess what I mean to to say is that I shouldn't have been born. But enough with that, or I’ll just sound like a whiny kid.

Three days after my high school graduation, Randolph and I spent a day in a whole new city. Being from Roselle, I had never really been to one of the most beautiful city such as downtown Chicago. Spending the day in Chicago was like discovering a new way of living life that I had only heard from siblings and the news. I checked my bags to make sure I didn’t leave anything essential behind and I checked them five more times. we were sleepy during the flight as we arrived at the airport and made our way to the gate. The streets are filled with an atmosphere that is like a child on a shopping spree in a candy store. I was thrilled as I realized that I was in one of the biggest airport in the United States. watching the Chicago Cubs win the World Series was the most amazing feeling.

We were on our way to San Antonio, Texas a white minivan full of kids on their soccer uniforms ready to play on the hot summer of 2008. They had invited us to participate on a youth national tournament with soccer teams from all over the United States. At that time I was just 11 years old and didn’t knew that much about traveling, and most important without my parents. The minivan was full of kids with the enthusiasm of traveling to a new city with big buildings, famous places to visit and many attractions, where none of us had traveled before.

Instead of leaving Pompeii to dissolve into history, educational researchers such as National Geographic have continued conducting studies about the fall of Pompeii, because forgetting about the historical event would be detrimental to further knowledge on Roman culture in Italy. Life under Mount Vesuvius was full of promise and prosperity for the newly settled Greeks in the 8th century B.C. The vast area around the towering volcano attracted lots of people seeking a paradise-like land for their vacation needs. Along with Pompeii’s paradise attraction, the rich volcanic soil gave way to agricultural growth for the Greek settlers. Mount Vesuvius's overhang gave the settlers a sense of protection and security. Once early settlement gave way and the very basic foundations of civilization began to grow, Greek colonies soon established themselves in Campania along with the Etruscans.

“97 years ago, our entire world was separated by a war that lasted for what felt like eons, but today, the world has reunited, all in friendly rivalry, for the greatest sport of all time and its first annual competition, the International Rocket League Championships!” The crowd roared in delight, as everyone was about to see the greatest world achievement in almost 100 years; being reunited by a sport older than dirt, yet it all seemed like a new beginning, which for Antonio Octavian, it was.

Have you ever gone somewhere you never thought you would get to go? I have. Washington D.C, just somewhere in America. The capitol city; the most important city in America. Where the presidents lived, where Lincoln was assassinated. That’s all I had ever thought I would know about Washington D.C. I never thought I would have the chance to go. I never thought there could be so much history in one city. My whole viewpoint on this city would change in the span of 1 week.

“I heard a big bang, so I looked outside. There was black smoke all around us.”Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii, Italy suddenly exploded in the year 79 A.D. It caused many deaths, but is now a very historic site. Before Mount Vesuvius erupted, the people in Pompeii lived a similar life as we do now. Their values, work, and gadgets are similar to what we have now.

How I am like Odesseus is that I dont like to give up i like to try and do what i said i will do. Even though it took him 20 year he got to is wife after everything had happen. Me and him are really simular in will power and not wanting to give up what we want to do no matter what happens. Like now i am trying to lose weight which i have to be more healther. To prevent me from getting heart disease or being diabetic like the rest of my family. Even through heart break and depression and imsomnia i still power though the day.

I’ll start with the unavoidable and irrefutable challenge that I, a new bother will endure due to my lack of experience. My inexperience with Greek life will be one of my biggest challenges. However, I have forever enjoyed and been up to dispute my challenges. In order to grow as an individual and as an organization, challenges must be attacked head on, overcome and as a result one grows. It’s kind of like building muscle. You lift causing small tears in your muscle tissues which cause the soreness following your workout but as your body heals itself you come back with bigger and stronger than ever before. Therefore, I believe my strongest assets that I bring to this organization as a new member is my strongly motivated mentality, hardworking

I would call myself an aspiring globetrotter, for I am the kind of person that is staunchly determined once my mind is set on something, and my heart and mind are set on travel, enamored with what the rest of the world has to offer. I had been out of the country before, but this was the first time I’d left the continent and traveled the Pacific. I thought I was prepared for my adventure, knowing what to expect and what it would look like, but I didn’t. From the moment I stepped off the plane in a new country abroad, it was a constant submersion in the unexpected. Every waking moment of the day I was in a constant state of admiration and disbelief for the absolute beauty, culture, and history Italy held. I had never been so inspired by a person

Long ago in an Old Italian Village there I was, in the forest being bet off by a rich wealthy carpenter who seemed to be playing or gambling against and old rather less fortunate carpenter. They both lost some and won some but the real prize was me= the much desired piece of wood. Eventually someone won, it was the old less fortunate carpenter, the wealthy carpenter could not believe his eyes so he threw the wood and stormed of yelling “GEPETTO”.

Last summer, my family and I took a trip to New York City. We’ve visited this city about five years ago, but I didn't remember much since I was only eleven years old. This trip changed my mindset on life. I got to experience the unexplainable and took pictures that were priceless. This trip is definitely a trip to remember and will always be special to me.