Leaving home

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It was a week of goodbyes and packing and frantic last minute packing, together with frantic last minute working out of what the heck I’m actually going to do overseas.

The day of the flight I’m kind of getting the jitters. Not because I’m going to Singapore – I’ve been there twice before and it’s a very easy place to visit – but because this will be by far the longest I’ll be away from home. And there’s no real structure in place yet for the trip. The open-endedness of the trip is mostly exhilarating, but also a tad nerve-racking. I guess the two go hand in hand.

Thanks to my uncle Jeremy for driving me to the airport, and my brother and best friend Evan for seeing me off. Jeremy gave me a small envelope with “survival pack” written on it, and told me to open it when I’m in need of a kick. I asked him tongue-in-cheek, what if I need it first up in the first week? Use it when you need to – you’ll know, he replied.

It was sad and a bit emotional saying goodbye to the big guy that is my bro at the departure lounge of Sydney airport. A rare hug, the family handshake, a look in the eye and I was off.

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