Well, here I am, less than 2 weeks to go until the big day. The day I fly off to the land of India. The land I have been so mesmerized and fascinated with for so long that it seems so unreal that this day is actually about to arrive. So many people are excited for me and awaiting for the day I go. It's really nice to see how many people are happy for me. Even if they all don't understand why or how this is so important to me, it's still feels good to have people rooting me on.
As for myself, I am thoroughly excited. I'm anticipating many good and awesome things to happen to me on this trip. The mystery of what is in store for me makes me anxious and jittery. I cannot wait to see what is to come and what adventures await for me over there. It's going to be so different from here in almost every way possible. But I hope I can find some familiar feels wherever we end up traveling to- after all, they're people just like us. I'm nervous though too. Just thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong makes me shudder with fear and hesitation. I don't even want to list it all because I know it'll only terrify me. Not to mention I'm worried about how well I will get along with the others on the trip. I really hope they're cool and chill. But even more importantly, I hope I will not try to change myself just to get them to like me. I know I have a tendency to do that... But I acknowledge that I must have confidence in myself and believe that I will stand strong in who I am. I just have to be unwavering and focus on that. Besides, I think I'm pretty easy to get along with, so all should be well. :)
My fears and worries are certainly real, but I can't let those things stop me from enjoying myself and milking this trip for what it's worth- which is A LOT. I'll be seeing SO much, it's unfathomable at this moment in time. I have to take it all in and soak in its glory while I can, because who knows when I will be back. I do admit, I have expectations for this trip. Epiphanies, realizations, etc. yea I hope I get a few of those here and there. But what I really want is to just learn. I hope that I'll learn more than I would ever gather from a textbook. I want to capture everything in my double lens and store it all in my system. I do hope that I can return to the States as a new person but with my core still intact. I want to come back with a better understanding of that side of the world, and hope to even learn more about people as a whole in the process. And to wrap it all up, I expect to have the time of my life up to this point. The chance to go abroad is not as easy to get as it is to find a tree in a forest. It's a rare, special moment that one must hold on to and enjoy every breath of that moment. I will be smiling and laughing and struck by awe and get my jaw stuck every day I spend over there. No frown will be caught on my glimmering face!
-A.M.B.
