Location: Gate 121 C, Newark Airport, Cracked blue plastic leather seat
Time: 4 hours before boarding. Poop.
Music: New John Butler Trio Album. Very bouncy!
Anyway, I’m going to India. I think that’s the most important thing to mention. India, ahoy. So what to say about this. A week ago I was drinking beer on my couch in Syracuse with my family during graduation weekend. Yesterday at this time I was waking my nephew up from a nap at home in Southbury, CT. Today I’m in an airport. Tomorrow I’ll be in Mumbai. Damn. Whenever I get to sit still for a long period of time again, it’ll be good. My packing muscles are sore.
People have been asking me a lot if I’m nervous or excited. Really, those are the only two words that they use, as though they’re on opposite sides of a fear spectrum. I guess I’m both, but this time, the travelling just feels normal. I don’t want to go to a country for a vacation… I want to go to a place so that I can meet the people, get to know it, live there and work there.
Being here in this airport just feels familiar and right.
I met an interesting cast of people on my way in. An older Asian man from Philly who was asking me about the rupees and the hot weather and telling me about all of the fabrics that I will acquire in India. A German girl who’s going to Fort Lauderdale. I wonder if she knows about the tar balls. A whole Italian family who were smirking at my flip-flops and trying to cut me in security line. So then I put my belt and shoes back on. Put the lappy back in its computer bag and into my backpack right with my bag of liquids and here I am in this cracked blue chair. Pleather. Plastic leather.
Is this blog where I’m supposed to talk about hopes and fears? I’m sorry. I’m going with the flow. No hopes. No fears. Not even a plan.
And that’s good.
I’m going to take my backpack, purse, and the bangles on my wrist and find a beer and a sandwich.
Tummy Time.
Hazzah!
Addendum: Just had a nice mid-afternoon snack in the Brooklyn Brewery Station in the airport. There was a sweet woman going to Brussels, and how important it was to have an open mind, travel with good people, and enjoy good beer.
See you on the other side!