Tonight, however, my mom gave me my graduation present (NZ dollars!) and a card with an appropriate quote by Vincent van Gogh: "What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" My mom and Vincent are right (leave it to moms to give just the right amount of encouragement). My New Zealand excursion will be a wonderful, educational experience. I will discover different cultures and histories while observing and practicing Public History at a local museum.
Life will always require us to be courageous. In fact, it wasn't that long ago that I was entering into a similarly scary and new period of life: this time last year I was a timid grad student, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to learn the ropes of Public History. Now, a year older, I am ready to put into practice all the knowledge and experience I gained during my MA. I am confident in my skills and abilities and look forward to an international foray before settling down. Of course, despite my upcoming independence and sense of adventure, it still helps to have that little push from mom. : )
