The Final Count Down

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It's less than twelve days before I board a plane for Amsterdam. It's been nearly two and a half years since my feet have graced Western Europe's land. Part of me feels like I just flew in from China a few weeks ago. Since I came home at the end of March (with the crazy extended two day stay in Japan when the Fed Ex plane crashed) life has been kind of a whirlwind. I flew in and came back home to Fargo/Moorhead to assist with the flood, then finished the semester, spent a month living out of my car and couch surfing, then moved into a studio on campus and finally into my flat I share with Rory in the North Loop. It feels like there hasn't been much time to slow down, let alone think about the fact that I'll be spending the next four months in Amsterdam (which was originally supposed to be Utrecht, then Southern France and well...you get it).

I'm growing a bit aloof and nervous. This will be my third attempt at Studying Abroad and this time I really need to make it to the actual plane without any freak accidents or sudden medical emergencies. It's my last chance to do this while being an undergrad and I need this. Traveling around Europe or Asia or Africa for ten days at a time is amazing. I have truly been blessed, but I have an opportunity to actually live somwhere for a brief period and I feel the need to truly experience that as someone with a home to come back to every night and not just a bed in a hostel or hotel.

I've grown much more flexible after all of my traveling - today my father and I argued about what size suit case I should bring. I'm convinced I can make it with a hiking back pack, he wants me to bring this ridiculously huge piece of luggage with the hiking pack inside of it for my side adventures. I'm sure I'll cave and bring the big one, but after my trip to Istanubl Freshman year of College showing up at the airport in heels with a huge suitcase I've learned to tone it down...not to mention the embarressment felt when my bag was over the weight limit. I flew out to the West Coast a few weeks ago to visit family and my Birthmother said, "WOW, you really DID pack light." I've grown up some I hope since traveling to Europe in High School and the beginning of College and I'd like to think that part of that is not packing four pairs of shoes and a bunch of random crap you only use once.

I know I'll forget something - I always do. In Egypt I was putting out my climbing clothes the night before when I realized I had not only NOT packed ANY socks what-so-ever, but I also had forgotten mittens and a hat. My hands were swollen by the time I was halfway down the side of the mountain after the climb and if it weren't for Sarah, my feet would have suffered the same demise. In China I ended up only having one pair of underwear for at least seven days and eventually caved and went comando for a while - this I attribute to Ryan sitting next to me while we packed his bag with my stuff at a train station while he chided "you don't really need that bar of soap...you don't really need the hair brush..." apparently in my flustered state I forgot underwear (and biking trips plus dirty muddy jeans and no underwear = a little gross) Imagine this scenario, I will remember my sony voice recorder for interviewing people during my ISP but forget my camera, or a pair of sneakers, or a jacket. I know I can buy things in Amsterdam...BUT it's annoying when you already have that really great umbrella to use in Amsterdam back home on your bed in the states and it's raining and that's when it hits you BAM...you took it out of your luggage last minute to make room for something else.

c'est la vie they say. And I'll be fine, for some reason or another I'm experiencing pre-trip jitters, which I'm not really used to.

eleven days now and counting - Amsterdam or Bust!

Until we meet again,

Leah

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