Beginning the Countdown

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Sitting at my desk. While I was out to lunch I realized that it was signficantly more comfortable outisde in the cool air sitting in the sun than sitting inside -- it's freezing in here! It's December already -- unbelievable. Actually, incredible when I think about how far I've come in the last 11 months. I started out in January last year (hm, can't seem to remember back to January). February I was dating a lazy-jerk-type (I only remember by the half-hearted flowers I got on Valentine's Day) and fortunately managed to wise-up by March and move on! April I celebrated my 22nd birthday (with friends and family) and reunited with a long lost love only to end that too a few months later. My first summer with a job seemed to go quicker than any other one with my head buried amidst websites, photography, soccer and my lifeless work-days but I finally lifted my head up just in time to see the leaves begin to trickle down. And as the leaves came down so did my patience with my continuity and I made the decision that has brought me to where I am now.

I leave for Southeast Asia in just a little over a month.

You know that rainbow ice cream flavor -- so intruiging it practically yells out your name as your shirt sticks to your stomach and the sweat beads on your forehead in the summer. As he piles on the second scoop of the crayon colored dessert, suddenly you wonder if maybe you shouldn't have stuck with plain old vanilla or cookie dough. And you begin to contemplate the aching in your stomach that may follow.

Yes, I'm nervous about this trip for a variety of reasons. Primarily, because the last time I left this country for a foreign one I had an experience that quite accurately fell short of any expectations. In fact, I would venture to say that I was waiting to go home from the minute my neausiated, jet-lagged body laid down in my cold bed the first time. Now clearly, I can't blame my unease on Madrid -- it was Madrid!

My mind is in a very different position than it was two years ago and my attitude toward growth is much more stable and grounded.... Or so I hope!

Here are my main worries:

1) I'm quitting my job thus loosing a tool used for independence in my life (and omg, do you know how expensive health insurance is when you are not working??)
2) I will be missing out on day-to-day activities with my family and my city (I know, that is the whole reason I decided to go on a trip "escape my continuity"?)
3) There are certain people I will dearly miss and sincerely hope distance will make the heart grow fonder
4) Illness of any sort


Despite all my anxiety, the only important part about this post is this:


I'M GOING TO SOUTHEAST ASIA AND I CANNOT WAIT TO PUT MY FEET ON THE GROUND AND PUT MY SHOULDERS BACK IN THAILAND!!!!!!!!!!!

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