I was sitting and reflecting today over the past few days since I got the news that this journey I have been planning for so long is about to take off, when I realized just how much my life is about to change.
No, Duh! Right!?! Well, leave it to me for it to all smack me in the forehead like the V8 commercial after over a year of planning.
I was realizing all major life events up into this point that I have experienced only changed a few things around me. During childhood, the biggest change that I looked forward to each year was my birthday; the only real difference is that I got to say I was one year older than the day before. High school graduation is a milestone for most of us, a BIG change, however the only real difference in our life is now we have a piece of paper to signify the successful completion of 12-14 years of school. My next major life change was moving to college and living on my own. While this change actually made life a little different, new town, new friends, family being farther away, for the most part I was still a student and I still knew the culture I was surrounded by. College graduation and moving into the real world and getting a real job was still much the same as life had always been, a few changes but the core of my existence was much the same.
So, I guess this being said I can start to make my point with a little more imagery. :) I love books because I can change my life while not really changing anything. So, I am sitting today daydreaming about this change when I realize all the changes up until this point of my life have been more like reading a book, and not really turning my life upside down.
For some reason Alice in Wonderland popped into my head. She had been sitting under a tree reading a book with not so many life changes, when she fell asleep and her whole world went topsy turvey. So, if you want to know if I am excited, yes! However the feeling I am feeling the most is a little overwhelmed. I am not only having a little change in my life, but almost everything I have known is going away.
I will be leaving family and friends behind as I put an ocean between us. I have packed all my favorite things into a storage building. I have sold my car, and turned in the keys to my apartment. I will be going somewhere where I don't know the language and will for the first time in my life since I was a baby be at a loss of words. I will not have familiar radio or TV or movies to escape into, as it will be in Italian. I won't have my favorite stores right around the corner, or friends and family who know me well to comfort me. I will be a world away. While I have thought about most of these from time to time and said, "Yeah I think I will survive." I am not sure it occurred to me all those things would be at ONE time! YIKES!
So here I am getting ready to jump down the rabbit hole and feeling a little overwhelmed.
Anyhow that's all.... oh, and I am not good at goodbyes, so let’s stick to see ya laters please!
Crystal
You will be surprised by how many TV shows in Europe are American. The ones that stick out in my mind from travels to France are "Friends" and "Alf. " Now of course they have been dubbed over into Italian but it is still nice to see familiar faces!
ReplyDeleteAnd the whole bad with good-byes is definitely genetic. I used to hide when Aunt Sukie left on trips because I didn't want to tell her bye.
So things are changing, yes. But maybe it won't be as turbulent as you fear. Internet has done a great job of keeping families connected from far away. If you don't already have a video camera for your computer, I suggest getting one. It helps you feel a little closer to those you love. And Italian food is truly comfort food for the soul. Mangia!