My best friend always teases me when I am getting ready to leave on a trip, she sees my preparation time as preparation for a lift off. I love the idea of being thrown into a new place and letting go of things that I don’t need in that place and finding new parts of myself that do not always emerge in the culture I live in. This time, I am doing it with 8 other people who I am very excited to be working with!! I already see some much possibility for you all and I am very impressed with how you all are dealing with the pre-trip stress- which is normal! I have it too. You all get to be in a new place for the first time and I want you to be very very aware of your first, precious impressions. It’s a special time and will give you a lot of insight. Write it down in your journals. I have already been to Prishtina but there is so much more for me to explore. I imagine very nice evenings looking at your awesome work, talking and running in the beautiful park near campus. Maybe getting a bike and exploring the city. I recall the fresh, simple cooking and am looking forward to enjoying that as well. I imagine the countryside to be very different from the city and am very curious to get to see more traditional Albanian homes and families.
I found this quote that I want you all to read, I wrote in on the cover of my journal from my last trip:
“A journey is a person in itself: no two are alike and all plans, safeguards, policing and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” John Steinbeck
Have a safe trip everyone and find each other in the airports ok. See you on the other side!!!!