Monday, September 29, 2008

I'm leaving, on a jet plane...

It's my favorite time...traveling time! :) I always love traveling. Despite being incredibly uncomfortable, flying is one of my favorite experiences, always. Whether getting lost in the beautiful scenery below me - soupy clouds, sharp ice caps (when flying to Asia), the brilliant moon or dazzling sunrises and sunsets - dreaming about new adventures, preparing to experience new things, or returning to my family and friends, flying always thrills me. I love that moment when the plane just takes off, and you see the ground drop below you. I love it when I'm flying back into Baltimore and I can see the park near my house and the lake near my old place and the building where I work downtown. I love the possibility of meeting new and interesting people, and the time to reflect and think on where I've been in the past and where I'm headed now.

Tomorrow I get to board a plane for Chicago, Illinois. I'm staying overnight with Mandy, my cousin, maybe getting to see a few other friends, and then heading to Holland, MI, the town of my alma mater, to celebrate my brother's wedding. After a crazy weekend of scurrying around and a flurry of packing, I am finally ready and eager to witness this once-in-a-lifetime moment: Dan and Katie are getting married, and it is good.

Four days of decorating, dressing up, celebrating, dancing, eating, laughing, crying, photo-snapping, cooking, playing, talking, sharing joy with friends and family. When it's all said and done, I head back to Chicago for more chill time with Mandy and friends, and then it's back to Baltimore - but not for long!

Two days after I get back from the wedding, I'm headed to Indonesia and Cambodia for work. Yes, I am getting paid to spend four weeks exploring a new country, meeting new friends, learning about the incredible work of World Relief in places like Papua (as in Papua New Guinea), Jakarta, Phnom Penh, and Kampong Cham. Oh, and I'll do a bit of work while I'm there. :) I'm going to Indonesia to help facilitate a US church assessment trip, then on to Cambodia for an annual planning meeting. Life's rough, but someone has to do it. :) I even 'get' to vote absentee, as I won't be coming back until the evening of the fourth of November. Still lots to do before I leave!

I hope to be posting stories, thoughts, observations, and perhaps a photo or two while I'm gone, but knowing me I make no promises. I'll have intermittent email access, so I may not be good at responding to your emails, but would love to hear from you anyway!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

y'know, It wouldn't be such an awful thing to... i dunno, maybe tell your little brother when your planning on leaving to go to Asia for a month? I mean, thats like, not a major thing at all, but if you DID do something drastic or epic, you might want to inform any second younger male siblings you may have.

And i'm incredibly jealous, btw.

LynnaeEtta said...

y'know, it wouldn't be such an awful thing to...i dunno, maybe LISTEN when your big sister tells you she's going go Asia for a month? :)

Sort of kidding. I totally thought you knew! But it's entirely possible I only told Mom & Dad and they didn't pass on the message. Things have been slightly crazy lately...

Anonymous said...

lol. yeah i guess.