I’ve only just started to arrange my travel memorabilia which is very telling in terms of my slacker ways. I went to Europe at the end of July 2008!! As it is, since I am a creature of habit and I like to obsessively make lists (no really, I am constantly making lists and schedules that I tend to stare at periodically (whilst sighing) and never follow), I’m gonna start off my travel series with the summer of 2008 because from then on, it was all just one big holiday. Can’t say it was a restful one but I don’t think I’d trade it for the world.
I traveled from May 2008 to April 2009. It was seriously epic for me. I like to think I'm pretty street savvy but really, I'm pretty naive when it comes to certain things. I thought that after coming to America and navigating life here on my own (for the most part), I was ready for anything. Home sickness? Hah! Getting scammed? Double Hah! Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. I really really thought I'd be ready for anything else the world would throw at me after my experiences in the states because, seriously, they were some of the shadiest years of my life (mostly due to my surroundings and the crazies my granduncle attracts like flies. The man is like a saint. Seriously. Who the heck puts up with that many insane people?!?). Even then, shady for me is probably tame compared to how bad others have it but then again, it is pretty shady for someone who came here to study.
America IS a land of opportunity but it totally goes both ways - while you're trying to take whatever opportunity the land of the free is willing to offer (and then some), there are so many more people who are willing to grab their opportunity at your expense. Believe me, I've been taken advantage of enough times that if I were inclined to be bitter about it, I'd say that I've been used like a three dollar whore, except for the part that involves sex or the part that involves payment. BUT, I'm not bitter like that so it doesn't matter :D (really, I'm not. I've just always wanted to use that expression in a sentence somewhere and truthfully, where else would I get the chance to use it in polite society if not in my blog while I'm ranting? lol. I have a growing collection of expressions that I've picked up here and there which I'm saving for that epic novel I'm writing in my head that will never be put to paper).
Anyway, where was I?
Oh yeah, I guess America should be counted as traveling experience but I was so busy (and lacking funds) that until this year, I've never been out of California. Yep. 5 years and the only time I traveled out of the state was with my team which went something like this - aeroplane > motel > field where we kick ass/get our asses kicked > motel > aeroplane. If this counts as traveling, then I've been to Albuquerque, NM and Vancover, Canada. Even so, that's just sad.
Regardless of where I've been in America, I thought my stint here had amply prepared me for traveling in foreign lands but in reality, not so much. Denmark was a little like america all over again; people are really nice for the most part but there are always a few scumbags out there who will try to take advantage of someone new to the country. I suppose this just comes with the territory when moving to a new country. Traveling however, is different from moving somewhere; and that's the real kicker. I'd say traveling on my own for a portion of it really made the difference even more pronounced. So, yeah, there were ups and downs and when I look back on it, I really want to kick myself for being so naive and letting people take advantage of me then feeling guilty (it doesn't make sense, i know) and upset. Was I ready to brave the world on my own? Probably not. But then again, who is? I'm glad I did it though. I've learnt a lot, especially from the bad bits and while I can't guarantee I won't be taken unawares again due to my ongoing battle with chronic obliviousness, I'll be more prepared to handle whatever comes up the next time. Hopefully. Oh, and I probably wouldn't travel through something like 63 cities/towns/villages in about 15 countries in 3 months. I've been burnt out and slowly recovering ever since.
That said, this is the start of an account of my year country hopping. Hopefully I'll be able to get a travel post up every few days, interspersed with random rants and food posts.
Enjoy.
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