Preparation

---

A wise man once told me that to pack for a backpacking trip, "you must place all that you think you require on the floor and then take about half away in order to be able to fit everything." Alright, perhaps this was just my friend Tosha, and at the time I chose to nod my head in agreement while secretly doubting his wisdom. Surely, I thought, this was a drastic overstatement. As I have spent the last few days packing, or more precisely, begrudgingly removing my cherished travel "necessities", I feel it only adequate to admit my ignorance within this public forum and concede defeat.

I suppose my downfall derives from being a teacher. We all like to search out a variety of sources in order to cross-reference to gain greater understanding. I took upon the challenge of packing in a similar manner; searching out multiple packing lists online and within each finding another item that I believed I could not live without. I am still finding a way to fit in my slippers!

In addition, while packing I have also come to the conclusion that traveling is inherently biased against tall people. What I wouldn’t give to be able to pack smaller shoes and clothes. Given that I am 10% (clearly a number pulled out of thin air) larger than a "normal" individual, I hold to the fact that I can pack 10% less! Although you may discount my theory in the comments section below, I will stick to it! That being said, I have whittled down my list and retained only the true necessities.

Of course, as is well highlighted by Tim O’Brien, it is not merely the physical things that we carry with us and this moment is certainly no exception. My intangible backpack includes many things at the moment, most notably the love of friends and family, but also a feeling of gratitude for being lucky enough to have the opportunity to complete a trip such as this. I am very anxious and excited to shove off and fill both of my backpacks and hope that I may find a rewarding, educational, and memorable experience.

---