“…’Cause I’m leeeavin’, on a jet plane!”
Yes, that was me, singing, last night when I was celebrating having finally finished going through my bags deciding what to bring, and, more importantly, what not to bring.
Okay, yes, John Denver’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane” is a rather cliché travel song. And it was probably strange of me to quote myself singing it. Still, it seems very appropriate at the moment—my bags are packed, checked, and paid for; I’ve stumbled my way through security; and I am currently sitting at the gate in the Tampa airport waiting for my plane to depart. (I’ll keep this first post short, since my flight is about to start boarding. Also because this is my first official attempt at blogging—please forgive any blogging faux pas!)
Despite all the excitement of last night though, I have to admit that just a little while ago as I said goodbye I was teary and scared, wondering how in the world I was supposed to travel overseas by myself. Shall I list the many adjectives that are needed to describe my past 24 hours? I’ve been: nervous, excited, scared, anxious, happy, bouncy, teary, lethargic, off-the-wall hyper, sad, worried, and amazed. If I weren’t about to fly overseas to study abroad in Italy, I’d think I might need medication.
Since I am, in fact, about to fly overseas to Florence (on three different planes no less), the current over-excited state of my nervous system seems about as apropos as the Denver song. In short, I am experiencing all of the wonderful symptoms of what I’m going to call “viaggio febbre,” or, “travel fever:” a state of anxious excitement brought on by an impending travel experience. Yes, it does sound much better in Italian. No, I couldn’t think of anything better.
It does make me wonder, however, just how many American students who study abroad really feel ready for the experience of traveling completely on their own? More to the point, how many students actually make all of their travel arrangements by themselves as well as traveling alone? I’ll admit, I’m not one of them—I had help planning my trip. And packing. And celebrating.
Still, actually traveling overseas can be done by me and only me.
Ci vediamo; I’ll see you on the other side!
