In 24 hours, I'll be waiting to board a flight to Paris via Frankfurt. I haven't packed yet. I'm getting closer though. I just don't have the mindset for taking the bare essentials. I don't have much money so I'm trying to bring as much as I can so I don't have to buy it abroad. But that's not going to be very realistic if I actually want to be able to walk and carry my backpack at the same time. If you looked at the amount of stuff I have laid out right now, you'd laugh... well some of you would laugh because there's way too much and some of you would cringe because you couldn't imagine going more than a week with so little stuff. Think about it though, 8 months! More than a dozen different countries and climates. Blows my mind.
Now that I'm leaving, there's a tiny part of my brain that's realizing that I can let go of my "US fantasies"... the things that I desire here. By Monday, it'll all be out of reach. It feels more and more liberating to step away from these pursuits of mental and material needs. Over the next few days, I'll be thinking hard about what I hope to accomplish and where I'd like to visit on this journey. With so little preparation, I haven't thought a lot about cultural sights that I'd like to visit. In fact, I haven't really been interested in museums lately. I guess I'm more interested in people. But I've never been very good at meeting strangers. And now I'll be trying to make connections with people while we have a language barrier between us. (Things for me to keep in mind: smile a lot and do not mumble)
I'd also like to see. I want to look at my surroundings and see stories unfolding. Unique stories and universal stories. I love what makes us different but I also love what makes us the same. When I get past the logistics, the finance, and plain survival techniques needed for this trip, it's the discovering that gets me excited. So for everyone that keeps asking, "Are you excited?" I say, of course.
Now that I'm leaving, there's a tiny part of my brain that's realizing that I can let go of my "US fantasies"... the things that I desire here. By Monday, it'll all be out of reach. It feels more and more liberating to step away from these pursuits of mental and material needs. Over the next few days, I'll be thinking hard about what I hope to accomplish and where I'd like to visit on this journey. With so little preparation, I haven't thought a lot about cultural sights that I'd like to visit. In fact, I haven't really been interested in museums lately. I guess I'm more interested in people. But I've never been very good at meeting strangers. And now I'll be trying to make connections with people while we have a language barrier between us. (Things for me to keep in mind: smile a lot and do not mumble)
I'd also like to see. I want to look at my surroundings and see stories unfolding. Unique stories and universal stories. I love what makes us different but I also love what makes us the same. When I get past the logistics, the finance, and plain survival techniques needed for this trip, it's the discovering that gets me excited. So for everyone that keeps asking, "Are you excited?" I say, of course.
you must be on your way north