Take-Off / Day 0
As I am starting to write this blog entry, I find myself in a quite comfortable seat after a meal of pasta Siciliana at some 10'000 meters, somewhere over the Atlantic sea. We left 2 hours late which were spent in this same seat, but it does not matter. The flight took off, and I have all the time in the world to reach my destination with another 360 or so days of travel in my own rhythm ahead...
How is this possible?
Well, I have finally taken off for a year of travel. A year so long dreamed of without ever really thinking that it might come through. Today is day 0. The day when I leave Europe and head towards the unknown. The day when these last weeks of stressful preparation, months of planning and saving, and years of dreaming have finally come to an end. I've made it!!!
I am actually, right at this moment, flying away for a year of travel. A year of new experiences, meetings, tastes, images. A year when my brain will probably be so overfull at times with new impressions that I won't know what to do with myself and will need a break for a couple of days on a calm beach. A year when I can take that break when I actually need it, and not just keep on running through the days without ever really stopping to breath, to feel, to think, to experience.
This is the first day of a year when I will be able to listen to my body and mind, to take a break when needed, to live life to the fullest and not on a 9-5 (although who actually ever does 9-5?) basis. It is also the first day of a year when I am hoping to learn about a thousand new things. First Spanish, with intensive classes planned for Havana (my first destination) and Xela, Guatemala (probably next after Cuba), and then possibly Portuguese as my personal teacher joins me in 2 months and although I will try to keep to Spanish as long as we are in Spanish speaking countries, we will then try to do a Portuguese – Swedish exchange throughout the rest of the trip.
But more importantly this year will be about another kind of learning. Not the kind that I could actually learn in any school in the world if I was motivated enough (which to be honest I have not been so far, I have always been a lot better in learning a new language when breathing it – when forced to talk to survive and not go crazy of loneliness, when hearing it all around me – while in a school setting it bores me to death). But rather the kind of new knowledge that can only be learned by leaving my rather easy life behind and tackle the unknown. To take a leap without knowing what will happen, and try to embrace what comes my way with open arms. I think this year will teach me a lot about myself, about us (me and Nuno), about life, different ways of living, to deepen my understanding of others and of myself, to immerse myself in newness and make my own path ahead.
So this is the first day of my planned one-year long travel around parts of the world. A day to long remember and cherish as a new beginning. But also a day filled with emotions as the weeks spent saying goodbye (or rather au revoir/hasta la vista/ate jà) to my friends and family finally took its toll today and had me break down at the airport as I realised that this was finally it. This road trip Geneva – Milan was not just a cool ride for the day or weekend, but actually the first step to leave for a year, to take that leap. After having run around like chased by fire – or rather dragons as my sweet Anton would prefer – for the last weeks with increasing speed, first today did I finally realise emotionally that this was it! A bit late, I admit, but pardon a scatter-minded, confused blond ;)
And at least I did not have any trouble going through the passport control as the boarder guard looked at me rather sympathetically... ;)
It is also a day of strong happy emotions as once the sadness had calmed down I was suddenly hit by the realisation that wow I am actually doing it! I have quit my job. Taken the big leap. This is the actual year when I will follow my dream. I had the courage. I was crazy enough. I made it happen. I am actually on my way :D And I will soon be joined by the other crazy b, mister Nuno himself, so that we can do a crazy, wonderful, beautiful trip around the world together.
How is this possible?
Well, I have finally taken off for a year of travel. A year so long dreamed of without ever really thinking that it might come through. Today is day 0. The day when I leave Europe and head towards the unknown. The day when these last weeks of stressful preparation, months of planning and saving, and years of dreaming have finally come to an end. I've made it!!!
I am actually, right at this moment, flying away for a year of travel. A year of new experiences, meetings, tastes, images. A year when my brain will probably be so overfull at times with new impressions that I won't know what to do with myself and will need a break for a couple of days on a calm beach. A year when I can take that break when I actually need it, and not just keep on running through the days without ever really stopping to breath, to feel, to think, to experience.
This is the first day of a year when I will be able to listen to my body and mind, to take a break when needed, to live life to the fullest and not on a 9-5 (although who actually ever does 9-5?) basis. It is also the first day of a year when I am hoping to learn about a thousand new things. First Spanish, with intensive classes planned for Havana (my first destination) and Xela, Guatemala (probably next after Cuba), and then possibly Portuguese as my personal teacher joins me in 2 months and although I will try to keep to Spanish as long as we are in Spanish speaking countries, we will then try to do a Portuguese – Swedish exchange throughout the rest of the trip.
But more importantly this year will be about another kind of learning. Not the kind that I could actually learn in any school in the world if I was motivated enough (which to be honest I have not been so far, I have always been a lot better in learning a new language when breathing it – when forced to talk to survive and not go crazy of loneliness, when hearing it all around me – while in a school setting it bores me to death). But rather the kind of new knowledge that can only be learned by leaving my rather easy life behind and tackle the unknown. To take a leap without knowing what will happen, and try to embrace what comes my way with open arms. I think this year will teach me a lot about myself, about us (me and Nuno), about life, different ways of living, to deepen my understanding of others and of myself, to immerse myself in newness and make my own path ahead.
So this is the first day of my planned one-year long travel around parts of the world. A day to long remember and cherish as a new beginning. But also a day filled with emotions as the weeks spent saying goodbye (or rather au revoir/hasta la vista/ate jà) to my friends and family finally took its toll today and had me break down at the airport as I realised that this was finally it. This road trip Geneva – Milan was not just a cool ride for the day or weekend, but actually the first step to leave for a year, to take that leap. After having run around like chased by fire – or rather dragons as my sweet Anton would prefer – for the last weeks with increasing speed, first today did I finally realise emotionally that this was it! A bit late, I admit, but pardon a scatter-minded, confused blond ;)
And at least I did not have any trouble going through the passport control as the boarder guard looked at me rather sympathetically... ;)
It is also a day of strong happy emotions as once the sadness had calmed down I was suddenly hit by the realisation that wow I am actually doing it! I have quit my job. Taken the big leap. This is the actual year when I will follow my dream. I had the courage. I was crazy enough. I made it happen. I am actually on my way :D And I will soon be joined by the other crazy b, mister Nuno himself, so that we can do a crazy, wonderful, beautiful trip around the world together.
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