All good things…

It’s a bit unreal to me to be sitting on a plane, returning home – to my real home – after two months of creating temporary homes all across Europe. It feels like an eternity ago that I set out on this adventure, though in reality it’s been a mere seven weeks. And what a seven weeks it has been…

I returned to Italy, this time with two of my dearest friends, Erik and Lenore. I would have thought that serving as the minister at their wedding would have been the closest I could ever feel to the two of them, but there’s nothing quite like travelling to bring people together – for better or for worse. We all had our moments of being tired, grouchy, overly sensitive, and every other weakness we all demonstrate sooner or later. And I had my first official fight with each of them (the real kind, with yelling and crying and the whole bit).

But we forged through the lows, and fortunately there were many more highs. I watched Erik overcome his fear of heights to reach the top of Mont Epimeo – one of the most stunning views I’ve ever seen, and all the better for the challenge of getting there. I felt so proud to see Lenore (well, not literally see on most days, but I was there in spirit) get up at 6am and/or suit up after a late dinner to run anywhere from a couple to seven (!) miles almost every day of our vacation, as she trained for an upcoming run in Hawaii. No excuses about hills or not knowing the area or whatever else we all come up with to let ourselves off the hook – no, she was out there pushing herself, with most of the Italians wondering what the crazy American lady was up to, and a couple more supportive folks yelling “forza, forza!” in support. And I delighted in sharing with my two dear friends those moments of true relaxation that are so rare for me, when I’m not coordinating something, or worrying about someone, or thinking ahead to the next moment, or the one after that, or the one after that…

But then my security blanket (aka Erik & Lenore) left me, and I was on my own, facing the awkwardness of dining out alone, relearning the art of meeting people while travelling, and being much more aware of my personal security than I’d had to be before. Not to mention getting dragged off a cliff.

Of course, as soon as I’d adjusted to being alone, I wasn’t any more. I’d barely arrived at Oktoberfest before I was reminded of the best part of my job – all the great people I work with. With all its beer drinking, cheesy song singing, table dancing, and unmentionable drunken misbehaving, my one night out with my Intel brethren in Munich was definitely the most no-holds-barred fun night of my trip.

A close second and third on the fun-o-meter were my weekends in Prague and Munich with Megan, formerly an acquaintance, but now a true friend, having shared not only international adventure and mayhem, but also some of our girliest girl secrets.

And last, but certainly not least, my Mom and her friend Betsy joined me in Prague for a week. It’s been such a pleasure in the last five years watching my Mom’s spirit of adventure grow in leaps and bounds, starting with our backpacking trip in Costa Rica, then with two more trips to Central America, her first trip (with me) to New York, and now watching her see Europe for the first time. Somehow, without ever having been to these places herself, she managed to instil in me a sense of adventure and fearlessness that has led me to travel the world several times over. So it was especially poignant to see her on her first European adventure, and to see it through her eyes, which made me slow down and appreciate moments of beauty and humanity that I would have rushed by on my own.

Thinking back, I can tell you from experience that when you set out on a two-month adventure “abroad” (a term I feel goofy using, by the way), approximately 18 million people will tell you what an amazing time you are going to have. And while there are days of sheer exhaustion and frustration when all you want is to be home, and times when everything seems to have gone wrong, and moments of utter loneliness when your friends seem unimaginably far away… ultimately what you find (or at least I did) is that the trip ends up being nothing like what you’d imagined, and more than you’d ever hoped for.

~Barbara

Comments

[Olgica]

hey Barbara! I followed your blog regularly and i really enjoyed every bit of it. I'm sad your trip ended, but i'd still love to read up on what's happening in your corner of the world. Are u going to keep on blogging in the US? That would be really cool!!!

Aloha,
O.

[James]

Hey,
Thanks! Great post you have written on "All good things…". Really I can say that your post is very informative, I'll come across your blog again when you will update it with new.
Thanks,
James
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