In Denial.

I am excited to go abroad, I really am. But for some reason I cannot get my head around it. I have about two weeks till I depart and I still do not feel like I am going. My denial is not benefiting me as I have a million things to do before I go, such as get my finances in order. I also have to get my car fixed, do laundry, print things out, start packing, get a hold of my travel agent, and so on. As you can see this is a long list and I know I am forgetting something.

One of my best friends just got back from studying abroad in Belgium this past semester and she had similar feelings before she left as well. Is this something all travelers get. Is traveling or going abroad just so exciting it is not comprehensible? I think it should be called traveler's denial, because somehow I feel I am not alone in this.

On a different note, over the weekend I got to show Rochester to my friend from Denver. I took her to the famous Lilac Festival, that occurs around mid-May every year. I love the festival because I just love the overwhelming smell of lilacs and of course getting my annual garbage plate.

Behold the garbage plate, a Rochester staple. A plate of home fries, baked beans, macaroni salad, your choice of hot dog or hamburger (you get a white hot if you are a true Rochestarian), and of course smothered in hot meat sauce. Yum.

Now some of you may be confused as I was recently a pescitarian. Well because I am going to South American and do not want to miss out on a huge part of the culture, meat, I have decided to return to being an omnivore, until I get back to the states anyway.

My two favorite pictures I took at the festival. I am still trying to figure out my new Nikon P100. It is no professional camera, but complicated enough for me to not know what all the settings do or what the shutter speed does. But I mean for an amature photographer, I think I am doing all right. :)


Please wish me luck as I try to get my life in order this next coming weeks!

-a