Getting ready to travel

I was told to journal my pre-trip process, as well as the journey itself. Most of that happened in a little book - but it is worth reflecting some on it here.

I left packing until the last minute. I panicked about what to pack. I left flight-bookings pretty late too, and they cost me a pretty penny. I did, however, get everything done that needed to be done and then some perhaps. I shopped until I dropped - and marveled at how much it cost me just to leave the country - never mind what I might spend once I was gone. I agonized over what to take - and whether I was taking too much, and what I might find I'd forgotten.

I have been laughingly assured by many that, yes - I would pack too much . . . and that was part of the journey. Next time I go traveling I will pack lighter and laugh at how heavy I made the first trip - literally and figuratively speaking.

For those who don´t know - this is my first time ´traveling´. I´ve moved across the country, and then again up to a small island . . . and Goddess knows I flew regularly while studying at Concordia . . . but I´ve never really traveled. . . .with a back-pack, in a foreign country, where I don´t speak the language. So I decided to start small. I booked a one-way ticket to Guatemala, with no plan. I think it´s safe to say my parents, while remarkably supportive, are horrified.

I attempted to reassure them by getting immunizations and travel medical - but I don´t think that quite did it.

Despite the doubts and concerns, mind you, I have received a ton of support - some from very unexpected sources. I have received help moving, help booking my tickets, short and long term places to crash over the last two months, a ton of wisdom, guidance, advice and a lot of love. I have been blessed with support and friendships that I am immensely grateful for. I have been both wished blessings on my journey and had angels sent with me to ensure I return.

Many times I was asked why I was going - at least half of those times, the question was posed by me. I still don´t fully know the answer, though I hope to soon. Or not. I do know that this journey is as much about letting go and trusting the process as it is anything else. I also know that that is the hardest combination in the world, and what has made this such a terrifying journey to embark upon - and what will potentially make it so rewarding. I do know that even as I wondered why I was going, and even as I experienced the longing for home, and the pain of missing my friends before I even left . . . I knew that I had to go. I knew that this was my journey to be on, and that it was time.

And so the journey begins . . . .