So I've decided to officially start my own blog. Geez, I haven't written one of these in eons. The last time I wrote online was back in the days of Myspace. Myspace!! Times, they be a changin indeed, yes sir!
Well my blog is called the "Ramblings of a Wandering "...-ist." What does that mean? Well I was thinking the other day, we're so used to labeling ourselves as something or another: pessimist, pragmatist, optimist, etc... Why can't be just be an -ist? Give ourselves a break and some leeway to just be just that: ourselves. Some days I'm a realist, others a pessimist, and others an optimist. Between you and me, I think I may be more of a closeted realist/pragmatist than I reveal myself to be. But again, who knows? Even better, who cares? Let's just let ourselves be what we feel to be.
I just got back from a two week whirlwind European backpacking adventure. It was life-making, not life changing. What's the difference? For me, it's just semantics. I walked out of this trip feeling as if I had made some good steps forward in my life. I realized that the biggest challenge for me was to achieve self fulfillment. Done are the times that money controls everything or that I've got to settle for someone who doesn't fit the role. Done are the times where I just sit around in utter stagnation and let the days go by without any sense of worth. Done are the times that I wake up and just go "blaaaaahhhh." This trip opened my eyes to so much! To those who have never been abroad, I strongly suggest that you try to do it; it works wonders on your mind.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying I found Jesus or anything, even though in Amsterdam there were some funny neon Christ signs. (Who would've thought?) I just had some time to decompress. There's nothing more humbling than wandering by yourself in places that you have absolutely no idea how to communicate. French? Spanish? English? Sign me up! Dutch? German? The only word I knew going into Germany was leiderhosen. I totally butchered that word; but doesn't it have a fun ring to it? Just rolls off your tongue. It can be lonely at times when you're put in a situation like I was, but after a while it becomes so liberating. Why you may ask? Because no one cares that you're American. No one cares that you speak English. Everyone is just happy being who they are. It's always fun trying to communicate though. In Rotterdam I remember ordering from this little joint in a not so pleasant part of town and between me (Non dutch looking white boy) and the dutch speaking Asian with very little English, I felt like we were playing Pictionary with the menu. I just pointed at items and used words that I had no idea what they meant; hell, the words looked nice and flashy on the old 1980's looking lit up billboard hanging over the counter, so why not take a chance? What I ended up with was a mix between some kind of chicken curry and looked to be potatoes. Let's just say my stomach wasn't a fan, but man was it delicious!!
From interesting culinary experiences to frustrating airport debacles, the language barrier was definitely a challenge but also a blessing in disguise. It was completely humbling to know that it wasn't going to be easy; nothing that's meant to be of worth ever is. It all just opened my eyes.
So many stories to share, so many debacles to laugh at, so many miles traveled and so little sleep gained. This is definitely an adventure I will forever hold deeply in my memories and one that I will look back and laugh at for years to come. I had moments ranging from loneliness to pure bliss and then some, and at other times, moments of reflection and just some meditation. Through the many miles traversed to the hours of sleep I'll never get back, I'm finally back in Atlanta dealing with the wonderful world of jet lag. Not quite the experience I was hoping for, but it'll pass. I still look back at the trip and just laugh at so much. The stories are too many to write down, but the memories are ever lasting.
I decided to start this blog because I wrote many journal entries on my trip. I already have the memory of a two year old, so I didn't want to take a chance and forget anything. Writing though, was one of the few things I decided I needed to start doing again; it brought me peace and relaxation. So here I am now, trying to use this blog to find my inner "-ist." Some days will be full of laughter, and others some sadness, but I look forward to just writing and sharing again my thoughts and stories to whoever is willing to listen to them. In the mean time, my ultra non-tech savvy side of me will try to make this blog site of mine a wee bit more interesting, instead of the odd pastels it's currently drowning in.
I hope this finds everyone well and let's all look into our inner "-ists", we may be surprised at what we find.
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