Bloggin from another Login (country)

Hello world!  I've started a trip to other realms, and want to share my thoughts along the way.  This was, in fact, why the blog was started.  I've been keeping a journal for the past couple of days, and will continue to do so (I'm not carrying a laptop).  I'm going to see how it goes with posting these slightly more personal looks (as in, this is my life we're talking about!).  I'll be looking for more direction with what I share, but I figured I'd start by sharing something that is mostly directionless.  Bon voyage.

08FEB2011
Listening to the same airplane spiel...in German (is spiel a German word?).  The inside of the plane does not seem so huge, but I think I'm missing out on like half of it.  The wing is right beside me, though, and it is massive.  This boat is supposed to take me over the Atlantic, so I guess bigger is better...

The easiest leg of my journey is over.  Ahead of me, besides oceanic turbulence, are language barriers, customs questions, and just the unknown.  It's the unknown I'm after, in a way.  But of course it's the unknown that frightens me.  I am not after fear, per se, so a necessary goal of this trip is to acquaint myself with the unknown...of course, the actual unknown things I will become familiar with, but also just the very idea of the unknown--a comfort with it that I've felt before but not sure that I've upheld in the past 2-3 years.

The question of WHY has been on my mind ever since I bought my ticket, barely a month ago.  What am I after?  How did this idea crystallize, exactly, in my head?  I'll ask (myself) again--what really are my motivations?  Am I looking for something?  Am I proving something?  Is it being done just because I can?  Just because I said I would?

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Travelogue in brief:

• awoke at my parents house to change, trees coming down (so garage can go up--which it should be by the next time I'm there)
• gathered documents, had an esteemed visitor (I miss you Katy), tackled Wal-Mart with mother (again), and seen off by mom and dad
• @ Dulles--Harry's bar, 2 drinks and a bison burger.  Made a list of all my packed items
• boarded Lufthansa--Gemans!--for Munich around 7PM EST
• (another) dinner. and tea!  around 8:30PM EST
• watched "The Other Guys" on the back of some other guy's seat.  Also a neat episode of "Known Universe"--WILL we find aliens?  WHERE could they be?  WHAT will they look like? eh

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The time is 11:12 PM EST--still dark outside.  Not sure where we are, but expect the sun will rise soon--another hour?  People are sleeping--I'm not going to get a good one in, might try another nap, but would like to see the plane flying into the rising sun if I might
Music:  Dark Was the Night compilation.  "Train Song" with Feist; "So Far Around the Bend" by the National.  All of the album--great music for gettin-someplace/no place

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No, I'm not testing myself.  I'm not getting found either.  I'm just getting lost, and seeing how it feels.  The fear that I'll lose myself is the first and very natural feeling of letting go, I suppose.  Expecting some sort of release is silly.  Expecting change--wise.

Good place to end it:  stay tuned for thoughts from the Old World :)

free with purchase of (international) plane ticket