Table for One

     And so my adventure abroad begins — 12 weeks, four countries (hopefully), two suitcases and a backpack — traveling as a party of one.

     The last bit is the most intimidating. There is the fact that I will be gone for such a large chunk of time, which was most terrifying when packing, but its frightfulness was soon diminished by the guarantee for worthwhile new and exciting experiences — as I will be working for a nonprofit and improving my spanish skills.  However with this opportunity there is no guarantee that I will encounter friendly companions, like my jobs, or be able to smoothly communicate transnationally.  This is left to nature and my willingness  to put myself out there. Interaction with others, locals and other visiting students, is what is most important because they are the ones that will leave a lasting impression on myself with the most vivid emotional memories.

     In the past, I have traveled and visited many different communities and countries with my family.  I have traveled without my parents before, but it was either with relatives or teacher chaperone and other students.  Regardless of how well I knew them, there was always someone else along side myself.  This time I was going “solomio”.

     I was so apprehensive about being for so long on my own, I like being surrounded by friends, I like group work and collaboration. I knew going into this trip that it would be an adjustment.

     Nevertheless, this trip isn’t so much as a vacation as it is a venture. Before my parents took care of all the technicalities and logistics, making the trip more luxurious. Whereas now I have to be conscious of the spending for all essential, vitalities, desires, and gifts. I also have to take care of all sleeping arrangement, flight errors(which have been many so far), and passport.  Now I need to be more aware of my surrounding and remember that when a thought or question pops into my head I will not always be next to a person that I can share it with. At first this was of no concern to myself. It was exhilarating that I had finally reached an age where I could go off on my own with money I had saved. When I was younger, this was always a fantasy of mine; except in those dreams there had been someone by my side.

     I have yet to meet my host family (actually currently waiting to board my last flight to Valencia). My journey alone has thus far been a success. Yesterday I spent the day in Rome; two years ago I visited the city with my family so I was familiar with the hotel and the layout of the city, but I was still unsure if I would be able to maximize the experience by myself. But I was fine. I wandered many of the intertwining, beautiful streets (getting lost by accidentally looping many of the streets) but enjoying all the narrow streets and ‘ristorantes’ and taking lots of pictures. I also kept myself busy by guessing what language the people around me were speaking to see, trying to decrypt where they were visiting from, and observing all the universal body language that humans share. In all, everyone was pretty friendly and I never felt unsafe (praying that this persists throughout the trips).

     While I am enjoying self, I still support my previous motto: “It’s not so much where you are, as it is who you are with”.  Therefore, I am eagerly awaiting to meet my host family, coworkers, and roommates; for the connection I form with them will not be able to be preserved in a photo.