Before the Beginning

Weight. 

Achieving that ideal weight has been on my mind for weeks.

No, not body weight… luggage weight.

The weight of the suitcase is an obvious sign of a successful or unsuccessful packer. 

I learned that the most important phrase to keep in mind while packing is that it doesn’t matter how much you can fit in your suitcase; what matters is the weight of your suitcase.

And boy, I just barely made it. 

When I hopped out of the car at airport departures, I had a purse slung over my shoulder, a backpack strapped to my back and a rolling duffel bag dragging behind me. 

To put into perspective just how large this duffel bag is, my 5’2” best friend can comfortably curl into a ball, zip the duffel closed and still have some wiggle room to spare. This is not an exaggeration, but a tested and proven fact. So overpacking was a real possibility. 

I heaved my suitcase onto the scale of the Delta Airlines check-in desk and said a silent prayer. Please be under 50 pounds, please. 

Success! 45 pounds on the dot. 

I felt satisfied at this tiny accomplishment. I had miraculously packed for a four-month trip in a single suitcase under 50 pounds… a feat that I had previously thought impossible. As someone who is guilty of overpacking for every trip she has ever been on, this was a real test… and I passed.

Now the trick will be keepingmy suitcase under 50 pounds throughout my travels. But that is a concern to worry about later. 

All that matters now is that I am about to board a series of planes to Barcelona, Spain! Before my semester in Galway, Ireland, I am embarking on a pre-travel adventure. From St. Louis to Minneapolis, from Minneapolis to Washington D.C., from Washington D.C. to Barcelona. I have over 24 hours of travel ahead of me. 

Thankfully, not all of this time traveling time will be spent by myself. I am meeting four other traveling companions from my study abroad program in Minneapolis. 

The five of us spent all summer planning our pre-travel adventure. The google docs, internet research, phone calls and endless text messages were worth it because we put together an incredible 11-day tour of three European cities – Barcelona, Nice and Paris.  

As I sit at Delta Gate A4 at the Lambert St. Louis International Airport, it is finally beginning to feel real. My stomach feels as if there is a bubble machine inside of me turned on full blast. I am a bundle of nerves and excitement. 

There is a swarm of thoughts buzzing through my head like how an army of bees swarm around a hive. Did I pack a toothbrush? I want to try Spanish paella and French pastries. I have to remember to send postcards. Help, I only know three words in French.

But my thoughts are only fueling my excitement. I’m like a five-year-old waiting to walk into Disney World – unable to sit still and teeming with joy. Except the gate to Disney World is the jet bridge to the airplane and Cinderella’s Castle is La Sagrada Familia and the Eiffel Tower. 

Not only am I excited for the sights, food and cultural differences I will experience, but I am also interested to see how this new-found independence, responsibility and experiential learning will inspire my personal growth. 

The anticipation has made it hard to sleep the past week, but maybe my exhaustion build-up will help me sleep on the airplane. 

I cannot wait to update you on my pre-travel experience, but for now I have to get myself to Minneapolis. 

Hope you check back in soon.