Flying across the big, blue sea

My contacts sting as I squeeze my eyelids tightly together. I am trying to feign sleep in hopes that my shotty acting will result in a good, authentic nap. I am wrong. And as we bump across the Atlantic, I am beginning to realize just how much jetlag I am going to face. Jetlag to me is like some foreign disease, I have never experienced it, but from what I know of it—it is horrible, Not the kind of horror that comes when you mistakenly order ice while in Mexico, but I have a feeling that this horror is the dull and nagging type that pervades your entire being. Jetlag—great. I can’t wait.

Not all is pessimistic though. Jetlag is on a very short list. Along with the fact that I have no idea how much battery my poor computer has left—all is wonderful.

Before I left, the main question was, not surprisingly, “Are you excited?” The answer is no big surprise either, “Of course I am!” But it was, and I guess still is, different than other forms of excitement. It is tinged with a sense of disbelief and numbness that come with any huge, unknown, and much anticipated, experience. The prospect of the complete newness that lies ahead is so overwhelming, that my mind compensates with a strange sort of denial. It feels like when I first went to college. You think about it from the time you start kindergarten--you put in long hours for some intellectual mirage in the distance. But when the time comes to move away to your first dorm room—it still is unimaginable. That is kind of how I feel about going to Europe for the summer.



A bit later…
International flights are awesome.
You get real food, a blanket, a pillow….and the coolest personal entertainment system I have ever seen. Built right into the seat in front of you is this nifty little screen that only you control. I unfortunately didn’t realize the true extent of this seat entertainment consul until there was an hour and a half left of the flight. A movie, dinner, journaling, and three chapters later, I finally realize that I have an ipod, movie store, and gaming system at my fingertips. And I thought it was just for watching that awesome flight safety video (think rocking elevator music, sickeningly saccharine smiles, and diversity on the scale of a middle school math book), Ah blast. I will have to use it on my flight home.



Speaking of my plane activities—I have been reading a fabulous collection of travel essays that I highly recommend. A gift from my awesome aunt and godmother, “No Touch Monkey” by Ayun Halliday, is a witty and raw account of a fresh college graduate’s experiences abroad. The best part—it is written by a Northwestern theatre grad. I haven’t finished it…but thus far, I am not disappointed and have laughed out loud enough to be a little bit embarrassed.



Another distraction on the plane was a dvd that my bro got me. I had wanted to see it for quite a while, and it was definitely worth the purchase. Transamerica is a wonderful film about a topic that deserves much more attention and sensitivity. The acting is phenomenal.

Well, that is all the time my burning contacts will allow me. More to come!