Travel Writing Blog 1: And So The Rat Race Begins.

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness. – Mark Twain

The Official Courtney-Leaves-For-Europe-Yay-I'm-So-Excited Countdown is now at 2 days. Actually, the plane that will take me to my unknown destiny departs from DFW in exactly 48 hours. Is this real life? As usual the answer is yes, because in true Clay family fashion, I have yet to even begin the packing process. My theory has always been that if I just way overpack than necessary, then nothing can be forgotten. But time and time again I prove this theory wrong. True, I may have 57 dresses to choose from for a 6 day family beach vacation, but somehow my toothbrush, face soap, and bathing suit mysteriously gets left behind, without fail, every single time. I guess it's all part of my mental preparation process. Like any young responsible collegiate student, I like to put everything off until the very last possible minute. This post included. I'm hoping by today's end I'll at least have compiled a list of everything I should have packed by tomorrow evening. Baby steps.

This will be my first trip outside of the continental US. My family loves to travel, don't get me wrong. But Papa Clay enjoys the simple comforts of ice in his drinks, free refills, and English speaking folk. So in America we have stayed. Ironically and coincidentally, however, my brother decided to take his first excursion across the pond and will just so happen to be in Spain the same time I will be in London. Some days I question our kinship, but both of our hunger for leading a "cultured life" reminds me just how related we are. I've had high hopes for this trip since I bought my first Lonely Planet travel guide to London, and I'm fairly certain every single expectation will be met. Samuel Johnson said "When a man is tired of London he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." All there is to say after that is, I'm ready to be in London.

I recently read the article "Milano, Ti Amo" in National Geographic Traveler. How appropriate was this article, since the first leg of our program begins in Italy? We won't be visiting Milan, though, which really is such a shame after the poignant picture Tom Mueller presents for readers in his latest travel article. In my mind, if New York City and Rome were to have a love child, Milan would be their baby. Tom initially considers Milan to "[feel] like a migraine." Apparently, Milan is a drastic step away from the serene valleys of Tuscany or the historic prowess of Rome. But after setting aside his bias and preconceived notions he once held for the fashion capital of Italy, Mueller finds a subtler, path-less-traveled side to Milan. He eventually concludes "That, I now see, is what I'm after: The unsung Milan." The main idea I took away from this article is to form opinions and conclusions only after experiencing a place for myself. The only way to express my view with validity is to breathe in the aroma of the city and write from the heart. I don't want to merely write about what I see, but what I experience. Every taste, smell, sound, sight will differentiate from person to person. I can only write what I know, which I'm hoping will suffice not only for this class, but for any one else who might run across this measly blog.

This past fourth of July weekend was satisfying for several reasons. I got to spend ample lake and hang-out time with a close friend  I haven't seen in several months, my legs got tanner (sorry I'm a little on the shallow side at times), and it made the wait time between now and Europe go by exponentially quicker. But the most important aspect of this weekend was that I was able to squeeze the last bit of Americana into my life that will have to sustain me for the next five weeks. Sometimes, as cliche as this is going to sound, I forget how truly lucky I am to have grown up in such a free and supportive environment. The plethora of war heroes memorials and fireworks displays always make me a little teary eyed when I'm reminded why this country is so near and dear to my heart. America truly is the land of opportunity, whether we like to admit that to ourselves at times or not.

Lake LBJ on the 4th of July

Fireworks show at Horseshoe Bay

 Am I going to miss everything that is America to pieces, family and friends included? Absolutely. You have no idea how much I care for my loved ones. But is the thrill of visiting someplace so alien and unnatural to me taking precedence over any anxiety I might possibly be feeling at the moment? Duh. I'll also have an old friend of mine accompanying me across seas, which should make the transition a little less painful. Mickey D always knows just what to do whenever I'm feeling down and out or out of place. I must admit, I'm a very lucky girl.

See ya in five weeks 'Merica. Europe, I hope you treat me (and my closet) well.