Small steps

I put the deposit down on my Europe trip today. I'm leaving Oct. 22 and returning Oct. 31. I'll be spending four nights in Berlin and four nights in Prague. I tried to work Dresden in there, but alas -- couldn't get it work, at least not within a price that would work in my budget. My passport has arrived so now I'm free to move around the world. I'm pretty excited. This is the first time I'm traveling internationally solo and while I'm freaked out about, I think this will be a great confidence booster and I'm already excited about planning out the trip and looking at the various tours offered. Plus, I haven't been outside of the United States -- not even Mexico or Canada -- since 2002, and I think it's good every now and then to leave the country and see how the rest of the world lives.

The other thing about traveling solo on a package that has guided tours in the morning and lots of free time in the afternoons and evenings is that I will get a chance to meet more local people and not stay confined to a group of Americans. When I was in France on my study abroad, it was most valuable when I was trying to learn more about the French, to understand their culture, customs and language. It wasn't easy and sometimes it was downright irritating, but things changed rapidly for the better when they realized I was making an honest effort. It's amazing just what one bonjour accompanied by a smile will do for customer service.

So yeah, I'm kind of freaked out, but I'm looking forward to this adventure. It's been a long-time wanted, a long-time coming, and a wonderful way to cap off the year of being 30 (and also to celebrate a couple of other things, which I cannot really talk about here).