So who am I? To you, I'm a family member, a friend, an enemy (hopefully not, cause I don't wanna say anything compromising), a coworker, or just another faceless apparition in the blogosphere. You may not know me, and you know, that's just alright.
Regardless of what you think I am, what I think I am is confused. Sure, in the grand scheme of things, I suppose I have my life "together". I'm a junior at a midlevel liberal arts college, I write music and draw on a regular basis, I run and swim and play frisbee, and for the most part, enjoy a standard shenanigan as much as the next schmuck. I freakin love the concept of cooking, but probably because of the end result more than anything. What I'm CONFUSED about is where I am positioned in this exponentially grandiose and simultaneously shrinking planet we chill on. I feel like my entire life has been encapsulated, "bubbled", if you will. Bend, don't get me wrong, is a spectacular place to grow up; crime involves water balloon incidents and laundry hanging outside (actually true). Lewis and Clark is very similar; very safe, very sterile, very...very white washed.
Is this how the world lives? Surely there must be valid suffering, not just rich white kids whining about their parents running out of Grey Goose for the weekend. And if so, surely there must be true happiness that sprouts from such suffering? Right?
Okay, so I have to admit, I have been out of country. Twice. But it was Canada, B.C. and Montreal. Montreal was a bit surreal but it wasn't anything like France, like everyone said. And as for Vancouver, well I might as well have been in Seattle because the only noticeable difference was the change in license plates and a slight increase in dry humor.
So now, I have decided to go to Africa. Turn myself sideways, shake what is comfortable and knowledgeable out of my cranium, and take a breath of "new". The most appealing part is the most nerve racking as well: the unknown.
I'm so excited for you, cousin! Visiting Africa will change you profoundly. You are blessed and lucky. I'll definitely follow your adventures here. Travel safe. Be present. Listen and see... deeply.
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Tom
You know when you read something too fast and think "Wait - he couldn't have really said that word" - well, I knew something was wrong when I read that you went to a medieval college in Portland.
ReplyDeleteAnd unlike Dylan, it appears that you didn't notice the metric system in Vancouver.
But Africa - totally cool! I'll be checking out your blog!
Bon voyage! I love the fact that your stepcousin Helen and you will be on the same continent, but I think it's too bad you won't actually be anywhere near each other. Sort of like one person being in Tallahassee, Florida and another being in Yellowknife, Nunavut: same chunk of land, utterly different places.
ReplyDeleteTim,
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read about your adventures! What's the plan? Are you in a university? Do you live in a dorm, an apartment, with a family? What are you doing?
Priscilla
p.s. I also misread "midlevel" as "medieval." Must be genetic.
After just reading your November 22 post, as your adventure in Africa draws to a close, I decided to re-read this first post. It takes on new layers of interest now--given all that you have experienced along the way. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks, cousin... safe travels!
ReplyDelete