The Importance of Beginnings

I have to do it again. Can’t stop with so much more to discover and know. And I’m blessed enough to do it all over again. In a way at least, it will be a new continent, country, city, and a while new group of people to help me shape myself and for me to have a positive impact on. Sure I have experience doing this kind of thing now but it will be so much different in so many ways. I’m so damn excited.

Let me roll it back to February real quick. It was finally time to embark on this walkabout of mine. Got dropped off at the airport, said my goodbyes and all of a sudden it was me, myself, and I off into the wide world. I went thru security and check in and was so damn relieved just to have a helpful check in guy point me the right way. I was that nervous and wired. I spent the whole time going through the security check in wondering if the girl in front of me was also off on a grand adventure.

And then I walked up to the gate. And had no idea what to do or who to sit down by or if I should just put in my music and keep to myself. That seemed the best option. After all I’m not the most outgoing person. I’m shy. I don’t do well walking up and talking to people or being the one to initiate conversation. So I sat against the wall and kinda just watched the group of people who certainly seemed to be also on our group flight for a little while.

But you know what, that wasn’t why I was doing this was it? Sitting on my own wasn’t doing me any good. So I walked over to the group and asked if they were all going to study in Australia. Of course they were. So I sat down and forced myself to socialize. It went alright really, things like that just make me nervous as hell. I don’t know why. Fortunately, one of the people I was talking to asked me to hold his pillow while he went and had a piss. Like who does that? Good thing he did though. Over the next five months this kid would become one of my closest friends during the journey. And I don’t know if it all would have been as ridiculous without him and the other member of our little crew.

So all of this is here why? Because I need to throw myself off social cliffs sometimes too. Because by forcing myself just that far out of my comfort zone I set the tone for the next five months. And I think it honestly made that much of a difference. New connections aren’t made by doing the same old things. I want to grow. I want to learn. It kills me that I’m not going forward much right now. Though I do need the recovery. And its just a few weeks and back to school. And all of the new opportunities cliffs there.