Pre-Departure Blog Explaination.

In two days, I'm leaving for Europe. I can't really believe it, honestly. A few months ago, I was applying to music programs in Germany and being rejected. I knew I wanted to be in Europe, I guess I didn't really know how or why or what exactly I wanted from the continent. Really, this trip was my Plan C and I wouldn't have it any other way. I've wanted to travel around Europe since I can remember, and it's pretty spectacular that it's all happening so soon. It's pretty spectacular that I'll be able to see so much, and pretty spectacular that my 15-year-old self was smart enough to put away all that birthday money and under-the-table paychecks to provide this trip of a lifetime. I'm feeling really blessed. Nervous, unprepared, frightened. And blessed.

I might be one of the most Wanderlustisch people you'll come across. Since I got my license at 16, I haven't really been able to sit still. My favorite pastime as a high school kid was to drive myself (and usually a friend or two, whether they liked it or not) so far into the middle of nowhere that it would take a significant amount of back-tracking and guestimating and "uh-this-looks-kinda-familiar"ing to get myself back on the right track. I'm not sure whether it is the desire to be far away from home, or the desire to independently guide myself back home from the far reaches of the Universe that drives my Wanderlust. Either way, I'm indulging it this summer.

I'll be visiting Ireland, Norway (with a brief layover in Latvia), Germany (with a day in Austria), and France. I'll be gone from May 31 (this Thursday) until July 15.

I look forward to having you with me, my friends and family of the interwebz.