And so it begins.

Hello all, welcome to the wonderful interweb account of my travels! A fair warning, if all goes according to plan, this will mostly become a photo gallery of English cities, gardens and castles ... with a few complementary words for good measure. So if that isn't your thing then feel free to take your leave. However, I know most of my adoring readers (particularly my family, and the LA Buddies from Guelph) will be interested so I'll do my best to keep you informed. Below is my first rambling collection of thoughts. More to come.

January 17, 2013

Sitting here in Terminal 3, Gate C33 I should probably make a more concerted effort to look more serious, more like a travelling pro. Everyone else here looks like they’ve been here before, calmly awaiting a plane to fly them over the ocean like it’s not a big deal. But the fact of the matter is: I’m not like them. I’m not a frequent flyer. The concept of being able to jump across the ocean in a matter of hours in a huge, heavy pod with wings, still escapes me. So, I have resolved to not try so hard to hide the giddy smile that spreads across my face every time I look out at the massive British Airways jet that is my ticket to England.

There is something magical about an airport, and for an infrequent traveller like me, maybe it’s because the novelty just hasn’t worn off yet. But I think I’d like to keep it that way. It’s a logistical hub of activity, and a cultural mixing pot, with people from all over the world, going to destinations all over the world. And thanks to the people-movers, you can move through the whole scene and watch it all pass by without the annoying “walking” hassle.

As soon as I entered Pearson, I had a great sense of déjà vu, remembering the high school trip to Madrid, Barcelona and Paris that was my first foray into international travel. It took me to all the wonderful places we went, and the great experience I had. That trip was my travel awakening, and in many ways it is the reason that I took all of 3 seconds to make the decision of exchange over an internship. What an incredible opportunity it is, and I jumped at the chance. To be able to live and study somewhere completely foreign, away from everything I know, and everything familiar, is something that many people never experience. I understand the expense argument, living abroad is not cheap, and during those three fateful seconds I considered it, but then I remembered the incredible joy that I got from my first European adventure, and instantly, any reservations vanished. I knew exchange was what I had to do. And sitting here in the terminal, with my stomach doing somersaults of excitement, and a goofball grin gripping my face, I know it was the right choice.