Here I Go Again

When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t believe it was finally here! I’ve been counting the days for months now, but here it was; the big day.

My flight was at 5:00pm. Over the last few days, I’d rounded up and laid out everything I wanted to take with me. My goal was to take significantly less than I took to Prague. I narrowed it down to about 10 shirts (5 long sleeve and 5 short sleeve) as well as 4 pairs and pants and 4 pairs of shorts, and then a weeks’ worth of underwear. I had an umbrella and jacket, a few books, my laptop, my toiletries/personal pharmacy, a microfiber towel, and my travel stuff (or as I like to call it “spy gear” to hide my passport and other valuables.)

My Mom picked up some toiletry stuff for me while my Dad and I went to church. Everyone prayed for me and wished me well with so many kind words and jokes of encouragement and safe travels. When Dad and I got home, I started packing for real.

Packing was the strangest feeling. I kept replaying over and over again the day that I packed to leave for Prague. I remember barely fitting everything into my bag—my Mom and I both sat on it to get it closed. I remember worrying that I was going to forget something. I remember feeling like I was going to suffocate as we drove to the airport. I remember crying as I hugged my parent’s good-bye in security. And I remember it was instantly fun as soon as I was on the plane.

Today was so different. Last time I was panicked, this time I am excited.

Everything fit seamlessly into my two bags. As I packed, I recalled a few things I was forgetting—iPod charger, camera, etc.—and wandered around the house to find them. Once everything was pulled together, I figured if I didn’t have it, I’d learn to live without it.

I said goodbye to my dog and my parents and I headed to the airport. On the drive, I didn’t feel nervous. There was a little stress in the back of my mind about figuring things out like how to get on the internet and what do I do if my driver doesn’t show up to pick me up when I arrive, but I was nowhere close to as anxiety ridden as I was a year ago when I left.

“When will we hear from you to know that you made it?” Dad asked.

“Maybe on Tuesday,” I said, “maybe a couple days later.”

“But you could call Mom right away?” he asked. I’d set her phone up with Viber this morning so we can make free Wi-Fi calls.

“I still have to figure out how to get on Wi-Fi first,” I said. “I left my flight numbers though so you can see that I made it okay.”

“They will help you with the internet?” Dad asked.

“They said they will,” I said. “I thought about just buying a VPN last night, but they told me it was included in my fees and that they will get it set up for me. I figure trusting people is part of the fun on travel.” I thought back to when Ivana disappeared with my laptop in Prague. At the time, I didn’t know what to think, but when she came back, it was connected to the internet.

We got to the airport and parked. Mom went with me to check my bag while Dad went to the restroom. I must have done something right because this time, I was well under the weight restrictions (35 kilos as opposed to the 60 kilos I took to Europe.)

I realized that in the hustle of the day, I hadn’t eaten anything. We went to “Pour La French” to grab a bite before I left. Splitting an artichoke dip and enjoying some soup and sandwich, we laughed about some of the adventures we had in Europe, as well as some of the adventures we’ve had since I got home.

“You know what I’ve learned,” I said. “Regardless of what happens next, it all works out in the end.”

We talked some more and laughed some more.

“I think you are going to have a great adventure,” my Mom said.

“I do too,” I said. “But if you had told me two years ago that I’d be doing this, I never would have believed it.” Much less that I’d be excited to do this.

We paid the bill and walked towards the bridge at the airport to go through security. The bridge was closed so I had to drop down to the main level security. Looking at my watch, I saw that I had twenty minutes until boarding started at 4:25.

As we got on the escalator I saw a red haired girl, probably 14-15 years old, hug her parents and listen to a lecture of “call us when you get there” and “be safe.” It made me smile to see a fellow young adventurer starting her own journey.

At the bottom of the escalator we stepped out of line to say good bye. I hugged my Dad and he told me to be safe. My mom hugged me and told me to have fun. I promised them I would do both.

“We’ll meet you back here in two months,” my Mom said.

Squeezing my Mom one more time and then giving my Dad one more hug, I said, “I’m going to miss you guys.” That’s when I felt it: a familiar lump in my throat. We let go of each other's hands and I went to get in line for security.

I smiled as I watched my parents walk away. I love them so much and I know they love me. Wherever I go, I know they will love me, and in a lot of ways, that gives me the courage to go.

Once they turned the corner and were out of sight, I thought to myself, “I did it!” I’m off on another adventure.

By the time I got through security, it was 4:21 and I had 4 minutes until boarding started. I put back on my shoes and belt and made a bee-line for the train. The girl with red curly hair was looking lost and stopped to ask someone for help. It made me smile again to think of how many times that had been me in the past.

I wasn’t really rushing to the gate, but I was being one of those people who walks up escalators. By the time I got there, it was 4:27…and they hadn’t started boarding yet. I found a seat and pulled out my tablet. Stowing my passport in the belly of my backpack, I locked the zippers and waited for my zone to be called.

Within about 10 minutes, I was boarding. As I shuffled through the cattle line on the jet way, I made chit-chat with a few of the passengers around me (I’ve decided travelling is too much fun to do it with a too-common angry look on my face.) Walking through the aisle of the plane, the flight attendant asked me “Are you headed home sir?”

“Actually, I’m on my way to start an internship in China,” I said.

That got a “Wow” not only from her but from most of the passengers already seated in the area.

I smiled and took my seat in 13F by the window. A few minutes later, a young girl—maybe a year older or younger than me—sat down next me.

“Where are you traveling to?” I asked.

“I’m going home,” she said as she pulled her hoodie off over her head. “And you?”

I told her about my gig over in China.

“That’s really cool,” she said. “Are you from here?”

“I am,” I said. “What brought you out to visit?”

“I was at the Western Region Colligate Women’s Rugby camp,” she said.

“Sounds like fun,” I said.

“It was,” she said, “except the university that hosted it was in kind of a small town and there really wasn’t much to do there. We pretty much had to make our own entertainment on campus.”

When I asked what university hosted it, I had to laugh…it was my university.

An elderly woman walked up accompanied by another woman who looked to be in her 40’s. “Excuse me,” the younger woman said to the girl sitting next to me, “I think you’re in my Mom’s seat.”

The girl checked her boarding pass. “Oh sorry,” she said. “I was in this seat on the way out here.” She got up and moved across the aisle.

The elderly lady moved in and sat next to me. “Well I’m sorry young man but you’re going from the very young to the very, very old.”

“Are you going home?” the 40-looking woman asked.

“No, I’m from here,” I said.

“And now you’re going to visit God’s country in Seattle!” the elderly lady said.

“Actually,” I said, “I’m going to China.”

“Well good for you!” she said. “Boy when I was growing up in Seattle, back during World War II and all, it was a big deal when we got to go dancing in Tacoma. You young people have amazing opportunities. Good for you!”

I explained to them the internship I am en route for and some of the adventures I am hoping to have.

We talked until the plane took off. It got harder to hear each other once we were airborne, but we continued to exchange pleasantries throughout the flight. Once we reached cruising altitude, I fell fast asleep.

It was a bit of turbulence that woke me up, and when it did, I decided to start blogging. As I think back on the year I’ve spent in the US since my study abroad (actually it hasn’t even been a year yet) I realize I really did learn a lot. I really do believe that you can be happy anywhere and you can find confidence doing anything. It just takes and open mind and a willingness to look a little foolish.

I’ve also come to accept that exploring China will not be the same as exploring Europe. Studying abroad was such an amazing opportunity to see so much of the world in such a short time. Interning abroad gives me the chance to dive deeply into one culture; to immerse in the language, the customs, the routines, etc. of life in China. Of course, it will be totally different from my last adventure…because I’m totally different…but I have a feeling it will be just as life changing.

As we begin our descent into Seattle, I’d like to share a quote with you that I saw the other day. It was credited to anonymous, but it went “Travel is rebellion in its purest form: we follow our heart, we free ourselves of labels, we trade a role for a reality, we love the unfamiliar, we trust strangers, we own only what we can carry, we search for better questions [instead of] answers, we truly graduate, and we sometimes never [really] come back.”

Here’s hoping all of that comes true.