Here we are, September 16th, less than a month to departure, and I still ask myself daily if this whole "I am going around the world with my two best friends!" thing is really that great of an idea. At first, it all seems so simple. We hop on a plane, brand-new packs strapped to our eager backs, our heads bursting with ideas and destinations, our fresh, clean faces smiling and laughing in anticipation, and after we get off the plane we have the most idyllic, life-changing 12 months of our lives. Usually the introductory sections of travel books promises us just that. They even give us pages and pages of clean hostel rooms and friendly looking natives and colorful animals and ancient sites to marvel at. Simple.
However, after the first 50 pages or so, these shiny travel books of possibility tend to turn into dictionaries of death. They list EVERY disease that ANYONE has EVER contracted in the ENTIRE country and warn us to get shots IMMEDIATELY (Japanese Encephalitis, anyone?). They warn us against unstable local governments, pickpockets, having every single thing in our possession being stolen. Personally, the thought of giving up fashion for a year, and rotating three t-shirts was a horror I had to deal with months ago. And now, on top of the fashion crisis and potential coup d'etat , you are telling me that I might not be showering as regularly as I like? Is this really a good idea?
After graduating this past spring, we have each had our moments of ups and downs with the trip. The concept of the trip itself has also changed and morphed as we have researched and dreamed and talked about exactly what we want to do and see at this young, curious moment in our lives. Speaking for myself, I am not going to say that I was always, 100% sure of the logic of this whole trip idea. The more "logical" option was to do what around 80% of my graduating class did - move to a big city (New York City), get a good job (sell your soul to an investment bank) and be content with making a lot of money and hanging out with your friends from college who have joined you in similar pursuits (wish you had done something different with your life). But ultimately I don't think that either Katy, Laura or myself are willing to settle for that just yet, if ever. The world is so much bigger than Manhattan, or Los Angeles (its true!) and there are so many different opportunities out there that we can't even fathom as the young 22/23 year olds that we are. We want to go out and see some cool stuff, and we are ready for the downsides and hardships that go along with it. The key is be be happy and productive in the moment, and learn as much as we possibly can about ourselves and the great, big world.
And I think that the three of us can safely say just that when we ask ourselves if this is really a good idea. We are shooting for the stars here, people! We are doing something different! We are taking the road less traveled! We are hitting the curveball! We are doing that thing that cliches are born form, and poetry is written about!
In the end, I think this is truly the best idea ever.
