Flying Back Home
Today has been full of mixed emotions. I'm very happy to go home and get back to my life. But at the same time, it's so sad to say goodbye to all the good friends I've made over the last thirty-six days.
I'm really going to miss my tour group and all the fun we had everywhere we went. I'll really miss Pacho, Ingrid, Courtney (both of them), Rob (the funniest guy I've ever met), Jamie, Jess and Chris. My love, best wishes and happiest thoughts go out to everyone on my tour. And I wish all still traveling the best of times and luck!
This trip has been such an incredible experience in so many ways. I've gotten to see an incredible amount of the world - and A LOT of what I've always wanted to see. I've met and spent so much time laughing, exploring, and getting to know everyone on my tour. And almost every night has been crazy and so much fun!
And I can truly say, at the end of it all, that I'm incredibly happy I took the trip. I wouldn't have it any other way! I can also truly say I made the most of the experience. Sure, I went overseas for forty-days and will be broke for a good few months once I'm back in the US. But this is a once in a lifetime experience, and in this situation you DO NOT HOLD BACK.
In closing, all I can really say is that I had the time of my life touring Europe and living every day and night to the fullest! I'm so lucky and thankful I've been able to take a trip like this - even if it's just once in my life!
How I Changed While I Was Abroad
While I was traveling abroad on my forty-day european adventure, two attitudes and view-points really struck me. The first was just how much more free, open and liberal the people of Europe are. And the second was how much more family-oriented many of the cultures were - especially the Italians.
It's well known that most of European culture is very open and free. Europe is the land of nude beaches, a drinking age of sixteen or eighteen, and a general attitude more inclined to relaxing, partying and spending time with family than working and pushing for money and material things. It's almost a complete one-hundred and eighty degree turn from most of American culture. And what surprised me was how much more I liked it.
In Europe if you want to smoke you smoke. No one complains and no one gets "high and mighty" and asks you to stop being rude or to go outside. In Europe working to become an artist, a photographer or pushing for any other creative endeavor is valued and respected just as much as going to school and getting a proper education. In Europe drinking and having a good time are welcomed, and you don't see the kind of crazy binge drinking you see in the United States - in my opinion because of the relaxed drinking laws. And finally in Europe, people tell it how it is. They don't sugar coat things. They don't brush around things. They come out and tell you if they like you, if they want to go home with you, or if they think you're a complete douche. And I came to love this unbridled honesty, lack of bullshit, and openess to ideas and ways of doing things that don't fit the "proper" norm of society.
And in Italy I came to really respect and admire how family-oriented and rooted the society is. In America, it's getting harder and harder to find a family that eats together at the table every night or even a few times a week. But in Italy you find families (entire families grand children through grand parents) that leave work or school, take the time off, and come together every day for lunch. And that's an incredibly beautiful thing! It made me question my dedication to my family and my friends, and my beliefs on how much time I should allocate towards them. And I'm a changed person because I've visited the country and seen first hand how different the culture is from my own. And I've really embraced this aspect of their society!
Coming back to the United States I know I'll be more relaxed, more centered (on what's important and what I want in my life), and reenergized to take on my life and take it where I want to go. Over my forty day trip I learned to relax and loosen up, and to have fun every single day. I realized that back in the states I need to take more time off of work to spend with my family and friends. And going back I'm going to make sure I have at least two non-negotiable days off from work and my other activities. I'm also going to work less and accomplish more by not getting distracted by side-projects. From now on, I'm only going to take on serious projects that are going to bring in real income and take my company and my work forward. I've learned a lot about myself in Europe. And I've realized alot about my life, my ideals and values, and what I want out of my life. And I'm so thankful I've gotten to have this experience!
The Flight Back
At the moment, I'm on my flight back to LAX. And I'm just about seven hours into my thirteen hour flight. I'm awaiting my lovely airline meal - only because the last one was so good. And I can't seem to stay awake for more than fifteen minutes without quickly falling back to sleep. My body must be starting very early on its plan to catch me up on all the sleep I've gleefully missed over the past forty-days.
Now back to the point of this section... I was just listening to the radio when Fort Minor's "Where did you go?" came on. And all day I haven't gotten too emotional, but that song almost brought me to tears. I'm really going to miss some people on my tour! You don't really realize how attached you become to people until you have to leave them. And after spending thirty-six days with everyone on the tour, as much as I'm looking forward to being back home, I really don't want to leave any of my new found friends. (Ok, maybe just a couple! :-)
Ok, I just cried a bit. I really miss everyone - especially Pacho and Ingrid. I've had so much fun with them on this trip. Especially in the past two nights. And out of everyone on the tour, they've taught me the most about having a great time and making the best of every day. They've taught me to laugh everyday, to dance everyday, and to tickle, smile and just generally have fun at all times. And I'm so thankful to have met them, and will definitely stay in touch with them!
Bottom line: This has been an amazing and incredible trip. And I really don't want to leave any of my new found friends. I've had so much fun, so many good laughs, so much good food, and such a great time sightseeing and experiencing Europe over the past forty-days. And as ready as I am to go home, I really don't want to leave. What an experience, this has been!
- September 22nd, 2006
- By Daniel Scrivner
