Is it Guten Tag or Auf Wiedersehen?

I leave tomorrow for Europe. In two days I will be strolling along cobblestone streets in the town of Freiburg, breathing in the fresh Black Forest air, eyes wide at the sight of cathedrals and more bratwursts than I can imagine. Yet on the eve of this Deutschland adventure, I can't help the unshakable and subtle anxiety that I feel.

Did Marco Polo feel these jitters before embarking on the Silk Road? Did Christopher Columbus worry about language barriers, motion sickness, and packing too little underwear? Did Neil Armstrong feel the sudden desire to call every friend and family member to tell them how much he loved them?

Though the lands have been explored and the maps drawn, every trip I take still feels like a great adventure. It is strange how the unknown can create such a mixture of fear and excitement, a mixture that is what propels me in my desire to travel and to explore. I find that there is nothing more catalytic of self growth and change than travel.

So here I am, only a couple of hours before boarding my plane bound for Germany, nearly unable to believe that I am about to make my first trip to Europe. All I can do is try to enjoy these butterflies, not much different from the bittersweet butterflies of a high school crush, and all the while try to pack enough underwear.

Janie

photo credit