Happy Holidays!

Since I was negligent at writing a Christmas letter to send to friends and family this year, I will post a blog of a similar nature, which gives an update on my life and what I have been up to the past year.

This past year has been a year of rediscovery and exploration for me. It began with my continuing to enjoy the spoils of having completed my Master’s degree the previous August and settling into a familiarity with my relatively new position at the EPA. Although I was busy at work – juggling a demanding job as Budget Officer for my office and dealing with some staffing shortages, I was still enjoying new-found free time outside of the office, having grown accustomed to spending every free moment outside of work keeping up with a rigorous graduate program. Having a little more time to myself allowed me to delve into some personal interests as well as just kick back and enjoy life a bit (well, as much as a person like me is able to “kick back!”). I began co-leading my women’s group through my church, National Community Church, and continued volunteering as the nursery coordinator for one of my church’s locations. I also began volunteering as a kitchen assistant at Sur La Table Cooking School, which gave me the opportunity to work in the kitchen alongside experienced chefs and learn more about cooking and baking for free!

Shortly after ringing in the new year, I went back to Oklahoma City for a weekend to attend the wedding of college friends and have a reunion with some dear friends from my days at Oklahoma City University! My sister became engaged around Valentine’s Day and the family hurriedly began planning the wedding (still in progress), which will take place June of 2007.

As many of you know, I am an avid traveler, and the latter part of 2006 has given allowed me to get back into the swing of traveling. In April, several friends and I traveled to Jamaica to visit friends who are stationed there as Peace Corps volunteers. We spent a week and a half traveling around the island, enjoying some time on the beach but also exploring the local culture in more remote, less-traveled areas. In late July, my family met up in Red River, New Mexico, to attend a family reunion. I was back in D.C. for only a few days before my sister and I jetted off to Europe for a week and a half. We spent a few days visiting friends of a friend in Paris and then stayed in Zurich, Switzerland, where my sister attended a conference, for a week.

By the time I left for the August jaunt in Europe, I had already decided to take some time off from work in the fall. When I got back to D.C. mid-August, I had only a few weeks to finish up assignments at work and find a short-term renter for my condo before I began a 4-month leave of absence in September. After saying my temporary farewells to D.C., I spent a few weeks in Oklahoma with my family and finished last-minute preparations for my next big trip: two months backpacking in Europe!

In mid-September I left on my “odyssey,” where I traveled to six countries and approximately twenty cities, visiting some friends along the way but doing much of the trip completely on my own. What an amazing experience! Not only did it give me an opportunity to see and experience some amazing things, it also gave me some much-needed time to think about next steps in my life and reinvigorated in me a desire to travel and explore the world! Pictures from my trip can be seen at http://www.Andreas Odyssey.shutterfly.com.

Since late November, I have been back in Oklahoma with my family. We will spend Christmas and New Year’s in Florida with my sister’s fiancé’s family this year and before I know it, I’ll be headed back to D.C. in early January to partially pick up the life I left there.

Reflections on Andrea's Odyssey

Once again, I must apologize for not blogging in the recent past. My only excuse can be that I have been enjoying being back home and spending time with my family after my two months away. Now that I have had sufficient time for reflection, however, I thought I would "close out" the European trip portion of my blog with a final review:

I've been back in the States for two weeks after my backpacking adventure in Europe. The map above shows my two-month journey: 6 countries, around 20 cities, and an infinite number of memories and experiences. When I tell people of my adventure, I often hear an element of surprise in people's voices when they say something along the lines of "wow, you are so brave" or "oh, I wish I could (or could have) done something like that."

Well, folks, the honest truth is that you can and should do some traveling in whatever form you feel comfortable because it is an experience that can shape your life and provide life-long memories to cherish! To the assertion that I am somehow more courageous than most by doing a trip along like this, I can only say two things: (1) there are actually a lot of other people out there doing the same thing... I met many of them; and (2) sometimes the best thing for you is to do something that takes you out of your comfort zone.

I know I have already harped a bit on the "risk-taking" idea, but I will restate it briefly. It really shows you what you are made of to be put in some somewhat uncomfortable situations and come out just fine. When I would get to a new city -- not knowing exactly where I was supposed to go, not having a map, and not even speaking the language to adequately communicate with people, I could have very well freaked out. I realized I had two options: I could either sit on the side of the road and cry, or I could use some common sense to do my best to figure something out. And even though I experienced some scary or kind of embarrassing moments trying to find out where to go and what to do, I made it through all of them. And better still, I proved to myself that I could do it!

I believe that one of the many positive outcomes of this trip was that I have begun to let go of my death-grip on being in total control of everything all the time. Many of us suffer from the "control freak" mentality - as long as we can plan everything out to a tee and things go exactly as we have planned, life exists in a delicate state of harmony. But, honestly, how often does everything go exactly as we have planned? And, even more, how often are our plans perfect? I've often heard my pastor joke that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. Whether you believe in a higher power or not, the truth remains that we live most of our lives being at least slightly out of control. We can either sit around and cry about it or make the most of the resources we have and live with it.

Another positive outcome of my trip is that I am on my way to being able to kick back and enjoy life for what it is a little better. We so often race through life, from one stressor to the next, that we don't "stop to smell the roses." We don't take time to enjoy those little things in life that are actually what make it worth living. Well, I discovered about six months ago that I was not happy with my life because I was forever living in a state of "when this happens, everything will be great." Well, the harsh truth is that if you live with that mentality, things never will truly be great because you will always be looking for the next "high." As soon as you accomplish one thing, your eyes will be opened to the next item on your list of things required for happiness. The difficult lesson we all must learn (and believe me, I am still working on it) is to enjoy the journey. Take time to embrace what life is offering you right now because if you are forever searching for the next promise of fulfillment, you could be searching your whole life. Happiness and contentment with life are more about attitude and perspective than what you have or what you accomplish.

As you can see, I love to travel! And while the personal benefits of this trip have been well worth it, I hope that through this blog, I have encouraged some of you to consider doing some traveling of your own. There is no better way to learn more about the world around us than to get out there and see it! Each day you find yourself immersed in a new and interesting culture, geography, history, language, cuisine, etc. As so many avid travelers have discovered, the more you see and experience, the more you realize what a fascinating and exciting world there is out there to explore! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about how to plan a trip, where to go, what to see, where to stay, etc.

Phase I of Andrea's Odyssey (the European vacation) is officially complete. Please stay tuned for Phase II, where Andrea will continue blogging about life and her next steps.

Southern Italy (November 12-17, 2006)

After spending a few relaxing days in Florence (I had been there before, so I did not feel the need to do much sightseeing), I headed down to Naples in southern Italy. Even as a big, crowded, dirty city, Naples has some charm to it and is a great base for trips to nearby tourist attractions.

I spent Monday and Tuesday exploring the city. A guy who works at the hostel took me to coffee on Monday after breakfast and ended up spending the entire day giving me a grand tour of the city! It was fun to have someone to hang out with and see the city from the perspective of someone who actually lives there. Tuesday, being my birthday, I had originally planned on taking a ferry to the island of Capri but instead decided to hang out in Naples and take it easy (After 8 weeks of traveling, I was beginning to grow weary of sightseeing). After walking around the city for almost another full day (except for a nice, long afternoon nap), I bought myself a traditional Neapolitan pizza for dinner and watched a movie in the common area of the hostel with some other travelers.

On Wednesday I went to the ruins of Pompeii, where Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD to completely bury the city. I met an Aussie while there and spend the afternoon walking around the ruins with him and having coffee at an outdoor cafe in town before heading back to Naples.

I took a local bus south on Thursday to two towns along the Amalfi coast. What an experience going in and out of small seaside villages and curving along the mountainous coast! I encountered basically no tourists all day, giving me time to myself to enjoy the beautiful scenery and sunny weather, a nice change from the hussle of Naples! That night, the hostel was offering a free pasta dinner, so I made it back to the hostel in time to hang out with some fellow travelers and the hostel's staff for the evening.

Well, with that, I ended the tourist portion of my trip. I took a train to Rome on Friday afternoon to catch a flight back to Frankfurt on Saturday. I fly from Frankfurt back to the States and Sunday morning.

For the photo journals for Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and Pompeii, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Stereotypically American

(Written November 12, 2006)

I have a confession to make: I am in Italy, the origin of some of the world’s most delicious foods, and I have eaten McDonald’s three times in the past week. For those who know me, you know that I very rarely eat McDonald’s. In fact, I don’t even like their food, but over here, it is just about the only place to find a hamburger or an American salad. And (I will blame it on being sick) I have been craving American food desperately! Yes, the person, who usually tries her best to keep from doing anything too typically American while traveling, was seen scarfing a Colorado Cheese (a cheeseburger with mayonnaise) and fries at the McDonald’s in the Florence train station at 11 o’clock this morning before boarding my train to Naples.

Yes, in my mind, I am admitting to some sort of defeat. But to justify my actions, I have been very good about trying local foods while on this trip, which is exactly what I believe anyone visiting a new place should do. One thing I can’t stand about some American travelers is that they expect everything to be just like they have it at home. They go to McDonald’s or even a local restaurant to request food exactly the way it would be prepared in the States, and they expect their lodging, transportation, shopping, etc. experiences to cater to what they are used to in the States.

Europe is in many ways similar to the States (thanks –or no thanks—to globalization) but in other ways it is very different. It doesn’t mean that one is better than the other; they are just different, and how you react to the differences depends on what you are used to and how comfortable you are with trying new things and going outside of your comfort zone. I believe that anyone traveling to another country should be ready and willing to live outside of their comfort zone, to embrace the culture of the new country, but unfortunately, Americans are seen in Europe as some of the worst at doing that. I don’t know how many times I have been embarrassed to see Americans (and consequently tried to hide my nationality) because they were acting so “stereotypically American.” I don’t mean to sound unpatriotic. In fact, I think I am being very patriotic in hoping that my fellow Americans won’t act in a way that justifies negative stereotypes about us.

While on this trip, I have been asked several times if I have gotten any slack for being American, and my answer to that is a resounding no. Although people around the world (many Europeans included) do not hold the highest view of the United States right now, they do not have any animosity towards individuals and are open to giving us a chance to prove them wrong. I believe acting respectful and trying to “blend in” (that means, attempting to communicate even when you only know a few words in the language, following their lead and doing things the way they are accustomed, and not expecting things to be the way you get them in the States) go a long way towards altering negative impression. In a way, I see myself (and every traveler) as an ambassador for America. The way we act while we are traveling helps determine the way they see our country. So please, if you travel overseas, which I encourage everyone to do, be willing to embrace the cultural differences. It will give you a more realistic understanding of the country, and it will speak volumes to lookers-on.

If anyone has any comments or questions on what I have said, I’d be happy to discuss. Having written my Master’s thesis on America’s image abroad, this subject is particularly dear to me.

Cinque Terre, Italy (November 7-9, 2006)

I didn't originally plan on going to the Cinque Terre, but after hearing several outstanding recommendations for the five villages on the western coast of Italy, I decided I should see what all the fuss was about. The "hostel" I had hoped to stay at had a sign on the door that said they were on vacation (November being low season), but I quickly found accommodation by asking a few doors up the street. I was placed in an apartment that had five beds and a kitchen and bathroom (not bad for 15 Euros a night).

By the time I reached Riomaggiore, the village where I hoped to stay, Tuesday afternoon, I was not feeling well. My throat was scratchy and my sinuses were beginning to act up. I took it easy that evening, hanging out in the kitchen with a few of my "flatmates" and going to bed early and then slept most of the next day. By Thursday I had a full-blown cold (or flu or something) and after going to the village pharmacist for medicine, decided to try to do part of the walk along the coast that links the five small villages. Riomaggiore, Manarola, Cornilgnia, Vernazza, and Monterossa were quaint (although a little more touristy than I had hoped) little villages perched in the mountainous area along the coast with breathtaking views of the sea! I got about half-way through before calling it quits and rested the remainder of the day. The Cinque Terre was a perfect place for a couple of down-days as there is really not much to do other than the walk between the villages. In fact, they take a "siesta" for about four hours every afternoon and the town pretty much shuts down after dinner, except for a few locals hanging out at the only bar that is still open.

Although I was feeling even worse on Friday, I had the travelers' urge to move on, realizing how little time I had left in Italy, so I decided on Florence, mainly because it is easy to get to other places from there and there are a ton of lodging options.

For the photo journal for the Cinque Terre, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com

Northern Italy (November 3-6, 2006)

UPDATE: The photo journals for Venice and Verona are now posted at http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

I spent last weekend in Venice, one of the cities I was most excited about visiting on this trip. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more! Venice is like no other place in the world! Around every corner, you find the most picturesque of scenes, be it a narrow, cobblestoned road or a canal lined with old buildings. There are no cars in the main section of Venice, so it is intriguing to watch life take place through other means, such as boats (for example, to get around you hop on a boat bus and each morning the garbage boats come by to collect trash) and on foot (it is not uncommon to see people wheeling or carrying goods along the streets to their stores or restaurants). And Venice is the absolute easiest city to get lost in! Luckily, the best thing to do in Venice is to wander around aimlessly because if you were actually trying to get somewhere in particular, it would be terribly frustrating (I will never complain about D.C. again!). All this adds to the charm and novelty of the city.

I enjoyed very much my stay in Venice, but was not terribly sad to leave on Monday for two reasons: (1) Venice is expensive and to best enjoy it, you need to be willing to spend money carelessly, (2) it was starting to get really chilly and I did not bring proper winter clothes. Plus, Venice is, I think, more of a travel destination for couples or the slightly older crowd. Nevertheless, Venice is definitely a place I plan on going back to!

After Venice, I planned on immeditately heading to the western coast but having missed my train, decided to stay in Northern Italy for another night in Verona. Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet, is a delightful and beautiful city. I only spent one night there but was able to explore the city Monday evening and early Tuesday morning before making the trip to Italy's western coast.

For the photo journals for Venice and Verona, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Quick Update

I am now in a small fishing village on the western coast of Italy (the area is called Cinque Terre) after spending several days in Venice. Venice was fantastic, everything I would have hoped, but rather expensive and starting to get cold. I have come down with a cold or the flu or something, so staying in this tiny town has been a good break.

Internet is insanely expensive and I cannot upload photos to the computer anyway, so I will write a proper blog for Venice and the Cinque Terre, including photos, soon.

French Riviera (October 31 - November 2, 2006)

After three solid weeks in Spain, I finally moved on to the French Riviera in southern France. The idea was to break up the trip between Barcelona and Venice (my next stop). My train trip Monday took a particularly grueling 10 hours with several quick changes and three hours on something that looked more like a D.C. metro car than a real train. But I miraculously (seriously, there were several points throughout the day that I never thought I'd make all my connections) arrived in Nice, France, around 8pm and quickly found my hostel (although I had forgotten to write down the directions to it, so I had to make a stop in an internet cafe). The only other girl sharing my 4-person room with me is a chef in D.C. (what a coincidence!); we spent Monday evening talking and hung out the next two days together before she left on Thursday morning.

Nice, a beautiful seaside (Medditeranean Sea) town, is beautiful and surprisingly reasonable despite the French Riviera being known for its luxurious beachside towns, one of which, Monaco, we visited Wednesday. Haleigh and I spent Tuesday exploring Nice (and even helped some guys move a couch) and as said, Wednesday took a day trip to nearby Monaco, its own principality.

There are a surprising number of foreigners in Nice, and Tuesday night we celebrated Halloween by going to Wayne's, a British bar, and listening to a British coverband (the guitarist was one of the guys we had helped move the couch earlier in the day). After Haleigh left on Thursday, I spent the day walking around Nice's old town (another example of winding, narrow streets) and catching up on emails. Thursday evening, I dragged my new Italian roomie to Wayne's to hear the band play again.

On Friday, taking the train to Venice, Italy.

For the complete photo journal for Nice and Monaco, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Barcelona, Spain (October 26-29, 2006)

I think the best way to describe Barcelona is crazy and over-the-top. The rest of Spain seems reserved and quaint in comparison to this bustling party mecca. It is no wonder that every backpacker in Spain talks so fondly of their time in Barcelona! A mid-day stroll along La Rambla greets you with eccentric street performers, hoards of strolling tourists, and, of course, ridiculous prices for food and souvenirs. You hear English (or other foreign languages) spoken as much (if not more) than Spanish or Catalonian (Barcelona is in Catalonia, a Spanish state that also seeks independence and claims a different culture and history).

During the day, you can get lost for hours in Barri Gotic’s (the old town) winding, narrow streets, spend an afternoon sunbathing along the beach, or explore the city’s many modernist buildings (most by the eccentric, Dr. Suess-like Antoni Gaudi). At night, Barcelona truly comes alive. Dinner is not until 9:00pm and don’t even bother going to a bar or nightclub until midnight or later.

I have to agree with the many other Barcelona-lovers in saying that Barcelona is an intriguing and awe-inspiring city. With that, however, I have to admit that my first few days there were rough. I didn’t meet any cool people to hang out with at first, so I spent my first few days exploring the city by myself, which was fine but can get a little lonely. On Friday night I was supposed to change hostels to (supposedly) the coolest one in Barcelona, where I had a reservation for three nights. I was really looking forward to staying there, but when I arrived there on Friday, I was told my reservations had been messed up and they had to send me to another hostel (one I had heard was not very good). Sure enough, it was not ideal—old mattresses in a 10-person dormitory, push button showers, no WiFi or kitchen, but it was only 15 Euros per night.

My luck changed on Saturday evening, when I went on a pub crawl and met the partial-owner and her Kiwi (New Zealand) boyfriend and his friend. We ended up spending all of Sunday (along with an Australian guy I had met at my hostel in Madrid and had arrived Saturday night) together. They took us to a local restaurant for lunch, on an hours-long tour through the city, and to an excellent wine bar that evening for drinks. I had such a great time on Sunday that I was sad to have to leave Barcelona on Monday morning, but I had already made reservations for my next destination, Nice, France.

For the photo journal for Barcelona, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Seville, Spain (October 25, 2006)

I originally planned on staying in Seville for several nights, but since I was not able to get lodging at the Seville Oasis and it was supposed to be raining for most of the week, I cut my visit short. I ended up staying just one night in a less-than-stellar hostel, spent the next day fighting the rain to see some of the city, and taking the night train on to Barcelona. Seville is an interesting city of approximately 700,000. Despite several travelers telling me not to bother with Seville, I am glad I went (and, in fact, would have liked to have stayed longer).

Despite things going differently than I had hoped, I ended up having a nice time in Seville. I met a cool American girl at one of the hostels I considered staying at, and we spent the entire day together, trying to see some of the sights of Seville and escaping into cafes when the rain got bad. We had a fun time talking, and it felt nice to have a real, deep conversation with someone.

For the complete photo journal for Seville, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Last Five Weeks in Review

Today marks five weeks since I arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, to begin my Odyssey. The map above shows the route I have taken thus far in red.

My first stop was Goettingen, Germany, to visit the town where I studied as an exchange student several years ago.

Next I went north to visit friends in the Swedish cities of Lund and Gothenburg and, from there, took a day trip to Copenhagen, Denmark.

After Scandinavia, I headed to southwestern Germany and then to the Loire River Valley in France.

After France, I spent a week in the seaside town of San Sebastian, Spain (in the Basque Country) and then several days in Spain's capital, Madrid.

Next was a quick stop in Cordoba before heading to another Andalucian city, Granada.

Next Steps
Today I head to Seville, Spain, my third and final city in southern Spain. My final stop in Spain will be Barcelona. From there, I plan to visit Nice and the French Riveria and then head to Venice and do some traveling around northern Italy. At that point, depending on time, I may head further down into Italy or go back in the direction of Frankfurt, from where I will depart on November 19th.

This trip has been an amazing experience so far! I have seen and done some amazing things and have met some fabulous people along the way. It truly has been an eye-opening time for me, and I feel I am learning a lot about myself and life along the way. I want to thank my friends and family for their encouragement and prayers. Keep checking in on my blog and post a comment!

To view photos from all my stops, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Cordoba & Granada, Spain (October 19-24, 2006)

I first want to apologize for not having posted my photos from Madrid on my Shutterfly page (http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com) as I said in my last post - they are now up along with my pics from Cordoba.

I am in the southern Spanish state of Andalucia, hanging out in the common room of the backpackers inn in Granada. On Thursday, I had an eventful day getting to Cordoba from Madrid... It was raining, I had to wait for an hour (with my backpack on my back) to make an obligatory train reservation, and then when I arrived in Cordoba, I had to find lodging because I had not made reservations anywhere. Luckily, I was able to get one night in the youth hostel, where I met a cool German girl named Kati. Kati and I went together to Cordoba's main tourist attraction, the Mezquita, on Friday morning, and after walking around Cordoba in the pouring rain for several hours, decided to take a bus to Granada (since we didn't have lodging for the night in Cordoba anyway). We found a very basic pension in Granada for Friday night and went first thing Saturday morning to get beds at Oasis, one of Granada's cool backpacker's inns, where we have been ever since.

Both Cordoba and Granada are beautiful cities of approximately 300,000. Andalucia was "the stronghold of Muslims in Spain for nearly eight centuries," so the towns here are "peppered with Moorish reminders" (Lonely Planet). Cordoba has a beautiful old town with narrow cobblestone streets, and Granada's similar old moorish quarter is actually where we are staying. We spent most of yesterday (Sunday) at the Alhambra, a huge Islamic fortress, palace and series of gardens that tower over Granada, and then capped off the evening with a tapas tour with a group from Oasis (in Granada, you get a free tapa with purchase of a drink in most tapas bars).

I believe I am going to head out tomorrow; I just haven't decided to where yet.

Madrid, Spain (October 16-19, 2006)

I finally pulled myself away from the beautiful Basque Country on Monday to head to central Spain for a visit to Madrid, Spain's capital. Despite being a large, sprawling city, Madrid is surprisingly walkable, safe and clean. I went walking around town Monday evening without paying attention to where I was going or what streets I was passing and kept ending up back at Puerto del Sol, the central intersection of Madrid, which also happens to be just down the street from my hostel.

Although it rained most of Tuesday, some new friends and I tried to do some sightseeing but spent most of the afternoon hanging out in the hostel once we decided we were tired of being wet. It was a fairly relaxing day and the hostel being a great place to meet people, I had fun swapping stories with my fellow hostellers.

Today (Wednesday) a few friends and I took a tour of the royal palace, an elaborately decorated former residence of the Spanish royalty, and did some more sightseeing around town. We actually happened to be wandering past the parliment building when they let out this afternoon; it reminded me of Capitol Hill with fancy, unmarked cars and TV stations waiting for the "important people" to emerge from the building. Tonight a big group from the hostel is heading out for a night on the town!

Tomorrow I head to Cordoba in southern Spain. I've posted some of my Madrid pictures at http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Pushing the Envelope

As many of you know, I decided to embark on this "odyssey" not only because I love to travel but, even more importantly, because I felt I needed to give myself some time to rediscover who I am. Almost 4 weeks into my journey, I feel I have already made some amazing discoveries along those lines! One of which is survival instinct and learning how much I can do on my own.

I knew going into it that this trip would not be entirely fun and easy. Yes, I have experienced a lot of happy moments, but there have also been uncomfortable and scary situations that I have encountered that I believe have helped (and will help) me to grow as a person far more than the "easy" times. In order to make gains, you have to take risks and deal with some uncomfortable situations.

No need to worry, I am not doing anything stupid! I am just "pushing the envelope" a little by the very fact that I am traveling alone in unfamiliar places with unfamiliar languages, transportation systems, customs, etc., and I can rely only on myself to get by. When every piece of clothing in my bag had been worn 2-3 times, I had to figure out how to do laundry at the laundromat from French instructions (not to mention the fact that I had to get used to wearing clothing 2-3 times before washing). Each time I travel to my next destination, I have to make sure I am boarding the correct trains and sitting in the right seats (with announcements, signs and tickets in a foreign language, of course). And when I start to feel a little lonely, I have to strike up a conversation with someone even if it means sitting down in the middle of a group of 10-15 French students in the common room of your hostel. Well turns out, they barely spoke any English, but I had a great time hanging out with them one evening in Tours, nonetheless!

I must admit, each time I head to a new city, I feel a tinge of anxiety because I know I am walking straight into the Unknown. As excited as I am to see a new place, (I think many travellers in my situation would understand when I say that) there is part of me that wants to stay in a particular place just because it has become comfortable (because I have figured out how to get around the town, to do laundry, where the grocery store is, etc.). Traveling alone (in unknown places with unknown languages, transportation systems, customs, etc. and not knowing anyone) is not always easy, but it has allowed me to discover some things about myself that I probably would not have otherwise. And the more I can rely on myself to take some calculated "risks," the more I seem to gain!

After that grandiose speech about taking risks and trying not to allow myself to get too comfortable, it may seem hypocritical for me to admit that I have been staying with friends in San Sebastian for a week now. One could argue that I have taken the "easy road" by staying for so long in a comfortable place with friends. My only arguments can be (1) I am enjoying spending time with my friends Joe and Laiene, whom I have not seen in years, (2) relaxation is another important ingredient in a healthy life, and (3) the Basque country is beautiful! Where else could I say I am heading to the beach this afternoon (in the middle of October!)? And since Joe and Laiene have had a 4-day weekend, we took a trip to La Rioja for a winery tour on Thursday and hiked an 800-meter-tall mountain on Friday (I'll post pictures on Shutterfly soon)!

Thanks to all of my friends and family for your encouragement and prayers! Feel free to post a comment on my blog or send me an email to keep in touch; I'll do my best to respond. :)

The Basque Country, Spain (October 8-15, 2006)

I arrived in San Sebastian (on Spain's northern coast) Sunday afternoon for a visit with my friends Joe and Laiene, who lived in D.C. before moving to the Basque Country (Laiene's home) several years ago. San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque) is a relatively quaint beach-side town in the middle of the Basque Country, which boasts a separate culture, history and language from Spain and has been trying for decades to gain independence from Spain.

So far this week, I have enjoyed the warm weather (about 80 degrees F), exploring the town and relaxing on the beach (not bad for October!). Even though today was not quite as nice, I spent most of the day listening to the rain from inside a cafe (as I read a British magazine) and treating myself to a manicure and pedicure.

In the evenings, Joe, Laiene and I are enjoying catching up and sampling traditional Spanish and Basque cuisine. Last night I even had the opportunity to meet Laiene's parents (with Laiene translating), who are politically involved in the Basque country's fight for independence. Tomorrow is Spain's independence day, which means that everyone has a four-day weekend. Laiene, Joe and I are heading to La Rioja, a nearby wine area for a wine tasting and to view some ancient ruins.

I will probably stay in San Sebastian through the weekend.





To view the complete photo journal for San Sebastian, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Tours, France (October 5-7, 2006)

I originally intended on making my stay in Tours (on the Loire River, about two hours southwest of Paris) rather short to break-up my trip from Germany to Spain. Frank and his parents had suggested the Loire River Valley for its many elaborate castles and having just been in Paris in August, I opted to stay away from the big city.

I arrived in Tours late on Wednesday, October 4th, after a 10-hour train ride from Mannheim. The youth hostel was basic but good; I had my own room and they offered a breakfast (albeit of stale bread). Thursday I slept in and spent the afternoon exploring the city and then doing laundry (since everything with me had been worn at least 2-3 times!). It was quite an experience to try to figure out how to use the laudromat facilities in another language! I had also run out of my travel deodrant by this point and went all over town trying to find a store that sold deodrant (I'm still unclear what kind of store actually sells hygiene products, but I did find some at a little convenience store for 5 Euros - probably the most I've ever paid for deodrant in my life!).

Thursday night I fixed myself dinner in the hostel and hoping to meet some people, decided to eat in one of the hostel's common areas (although it was full of French-speaking students). I sat down at the table with them and in very broken English, we began talking and hanging out. They eventually invited me to go to the old town (where young people of Tours hang out), where we went dancing at a little basement club. Even without being able to communicate very well with each other, it was still fun to get to know and spend time with some new people!

There are over 300 chateau in the Loire River Valley (30 open to the public), so I splurged on a bus tour Friday to see several of the most famous ones. I enjoyed it so much that I extended my stay in Tours to do another castle tour on Saturday afternoon. I highly recommend the Loire River Valley as a travel destination for anyone who likes viewing fantastic castles, sampling wines, and enjoying a beautiful countryside similar to that of the Rhine River or Tuscany! And if you end up going to the quaint, little town of Amboise on a castle tour, go to a little cafe across from the castle called Bigot... the hot chocolate and quiche were by far the best I've ever tasted in my life!

For the complete photo journals for Tours and the Chateau of the Loire, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany (October 1-3, 2006)

Early Sunday morning, I arrived in Mannheim, Germany (in Baden-Wuerttemberg), on the night train from Copenhagen. My friend Frank, who I had met in August in Zurich, picked me up at the train station and took me to his parents’ house, where a nice German breakfast of rolls, meats and cheeses awaited me. Having not slept much on the train, I slept for a few hours before we headed to a town festival, much like an American town fair with rides, carnival games and stands selling goodies. Frank and I walked around the festival for a few hours with his friend Michael. Later that evening, we sat around the living room with his parents chatting, giving me an opportunity to practice my German.

On Monday, Frank and I walked around Mannheim. Even with the weather a little overcast, we had a nice stroll around town, having lunch on Paradeplatz and then strolling by the Wasserturm with its beautiful gardens and fountains. Monday evening, we rode a streetcar to the neighboring Heidelberg, where we met our friend Angelika. Although it was raining quite heavily by evening, we still enjoyed walking through the pedestrian zone (the longest in Germany) and hiking up to the castle, where there is a magnificent view of the Neckar River and town below.

Tuesday, October 3rd was a national holiday marking the reunification of Germany, so Frank, his parents and I spent the day relaxing, looking at photographs, telling stories, and chatting. There didn’t seem to be much point going out since stores were closed for the holiday and it rained the entire day. It was a nice way to force ourselves to relax and unwind.

On Wednesday, I travelled from Mannheim to Tours, France, southwest of Paris, where I will stay for a few days.

To see the complete photo journal for Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Gothenburg, Sweden (September 27-30, 2006)

My next stop in Sweden was a little further up the western coast in Göteborg (Gothenburg), Sweden's second-largest city, where my friend Sandra lives. The weather has been somewhat dreary with autumn weather truly beginning to set in, but Sandra and I have still enjoyed wandering around the city together and spending time catching up after having not seen each other since college.

Sandra didn't have to work on Wednesday, so we took a boat tour into the harbor, walked around the central part of the city, and stopped numerous times to have a coffee and just chat. The past two days have followed a similar routine while Sandra has been at work; I've taken off exploring the city and spent plenty of time relaxing. Tomorrow Sandra and I are going to Liseberg, Scandinavia's largest amusement park, before I get on a night train to head back down into Germany.






For the complete photo journal for Gothenburg, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Taking Time for Yourself

I am hanging out in Gothenburg, Sweden, visiting my friend Sandra from college - finally beginning to feel, one month into my "hiatus" and a little over a week into my trip, that I can relax more fully. Sandra and I watched the Swedish airing of Jay Leno the other night with Justin Timberlake as a guest. Justin and Jay talked about Justin's decision to take a 2-year sabbatical from work. Many wondered what was wrong or why he would do such a thing at the prime of his life and in the midst of a successful career. He simply explained that his grandfather had told him he should enjoy life while he was still young and able to do so. So he spent two years playing golf and learning how to enjoy life.

While I am not proposing that I am anything like Justin Timberlake nor that he should be some sort of role model, I believe there is much to be learned from what he did. We (Americans especially) often are so focused in doing what we think we should be doing that we forget to enjoy ourselves along the way. I know I have operated under that mentality for too long. It is almost impossible to "enjoy the journey" when you feel you are in a constant state of trying to be everything to everyone. We are taught that power and money and status are what will bring us contentment and happiness, yet we never reach fulfillment because those things probably take away from it more than lend to it. Is it any wonder that some of the wealthiest countries and people are also the most discontent? The truth is we need to learn to embrace the present, to relax and to enjoy what happens along the way to wherever we are heading.

That is exactly one of my goals of this odyssey: to learn to relax and enjoy life. Of course, not working for four months in itself should go far in teaching me how to relax, but I believe being in Europe also fulfills a vital piece of the prescription. Ever since my first trip to Europe, I have been in awe of Europeans' ability to take it easy and embrace life in the moment. Granted, they have the same stresses as anyone else, but they seem to place more importance on taking a break from work to sit at a street cafe and sip a coffee or closing their shops to take a nap or spend time with family and friends. These, my friends, are the things worth living for... not owning the latest model of cell phone or being the best at everything. Since I seem to forever live in a state of stress - trying to do and be too much - I know this trip will be a healthy reminder for me of what is truly important.

So, for any of you who were concerned about my seemingly rash decision to take a sabbatical in the midst of some of my most promising working years, I assure you that this is the healthiest thing I could be doing with my time. While I am young and able, I am enjoying life to the fullest, and I hope I can encourage others to learn to do the same!

Copenhagen, Denmark (September 25, 2006)

Since my friend Anders had to work on Monday, I decided to take a day trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, which is about an hour by train from Lund. Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has about 1.5 million inhabitants, but the inner part of the city still feels rather quaint and only took a few hours to walk. As you can see from the pictures, it is filled with gorgeous architecture, lively squares, and a colorful harbor area (Nyhavn). The Nyhavn, Strobel, and Kongens Nytorv areas bustled with shopping, cafes, and street musicians even mid-day. Even in my hurry to see the city, I had to stop to enjoy the excitment of these crowded open areas! I would have loved to have sat at a street cafe all afternoon, just watching the activity, but I didn't have any Danish krona (money). Instead I settled for an afternoon rest in the Kongens Have (King's Gardens) near the beautiful Rosenborg Slot castle, where locals come to picnic or relax on the lush green grass.

With this little adventure, I successfully survived my first day of hanging out in a city by myself! I consider it a test of strength to not know a city, not speak the language, not have any money in the correct currency, not have anyone to rely on or share it with, and still have a good time! Even being a fairly independent person, who does not mind being alone, I did feel at times that I would have liked to have had someone to enjoy it with. But there are a lot more days like that to come, so this is the perfect time embrace being alone in a strange place and meeting new people!

For the complete photo journal of Copenhagen, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Lund, Sweden (September 22-24, 2006)

Friday was spent traveling from Göttingen to Sweden through northern Germany and Denmark. Having traveled quite extensively through Europe, my journey was relatively uneventful and unexciting. One point of interest was the ferry ride across the Baltic Sea from Puttgarten, Germany, and Rodbyhavn, Denmark. Our train actually drove up onto the ferry, we were able to walk freely around the ferry for 45 minutes, and then the train continued on the normal tracks on the other side!

Lund, Sweden, a university town of 100,000, is Sweden’s second oldest city. Like Goettingen, it is filled with students, so it has a fun, eclectic atmosphere. My friend Anders and I have spent most of the weekend walking around the town, which is small and quaint and filled with medieval architecture The weather has been gorgeous and unusually warm for this time of year (in the 70s). On Saturday morning, we visited an open-air flea market and today we strolled through the botanical garden. Throughout the course of the weekend, we have met a lot of Anders’ friends; they have been amazingly friendly and, fortunately, happy to speak English with me. Tomorrow, while Anders is at work, I will make a daytrip to Copenhagen, Denmark, which is about an hour by train from Lund.

For the complete photo journal for Lund, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

Göttingen, Germany (September 19-22, 2006)

Getting Internet access has been somewhat harder than I expected, so I was not able to write much earlier. Here's a little more about Göttingen and some pictures.

As I mentioned earlier, I spent my junior year of college in Göttingen, Germany, as an exchange student at the Georg-August Universität Göttingen. Göttingen is a nice college town of approximately 130,000 people. The university, which boasts around 24,000 students, has buildings throughout town as well as a main campus area. Many famous Germans, including 40 Nobel prize winners, have studied or taught in Göttingen. In fact, the famous mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss and a scene of the Göttingen old town were featured on the 10 Mark bill (of course, now the currency is the Euro). Here is a link to the city's website (in English) if you want to learn more about the city or see pictures: http://www.goettingen-tourismus.de/index.php?menuid=2&topmenu=2&keepmenu=inactive.

My exchange year in Göttingen was quite a life-changing experience for me. I had loved Europe since my first visit in high school and had long entertained thoughts of studying or moving abroad. I came to Göttingen without knowing a single person and barely speaking the language. My first few months were truly a "culture shock" in the starkest meaning of the phrase, but I quickly got accustomed to the culture, began picking up more of the language, and met lots of great people. I spent two semesters studying a variety of subjects at the university (mainly, German and economics) and helping my exchange director (an English professor) teach English classes. During our 2 month vacation between semesters, I backpacked around Europe with friends.

I see my year in Germany coming at a very formative time for me. It changed me a lot as a person and had a huge hand in molding me into the person I am today. Not only did being on my own in a foreign land force me to grow up and become more independent, living abroad also introduced me to other approaches to life and ways of doing things. I am happy to say that even with globalization, Europe is still very different from the United States. I loved Germany dearly, and I have to admit, by the end of my exchange year, I was not thrilled about going back to the U.S.

Being back in Göttingen, roaming the streets I had once walked so many times and recalling fond memories from my exchange year was somewhat therapeutic. My friend Angela was working during the day, so I had unlimited time to relax and enjoy (those who know me know that is not easily done!). I had no agenda for things I needed to do or wanted to see, so I spent most of my time "winding down" from the stress that has run my life for too long. In the evenings, Angela and I spent hours sitting at street cafes or pubs, "catching up" and reliving memories my year in Göttingen and the next year, when she was an exchange student to my school in Oklahoma. It was indeed the perfect beginning to my European vacation!

For the complete photo journal for Göttingen, visit http://www.AndreasOdyssey.shutterfly.com.

First Stop: Göttingen

After almost 24 hours of travel, I arrived yesterday evening at my first stop: Göttingen, Germany. I spent my junior year of college in Göttingen as an exchange student, so I know the city well and still have a friend in town. It only seemed appropriate to begin my journey in the city I consider my "German home."

I haven´t done anything terribly exciting just yet. I slept in today and have spent the afternoon walking around town, recalling memories of my exchange year and reacclimating myself to Europe. It is nice to be back!

First Days of Freedom

My apologies for already falling behind on my promise to update this blog regularly! My only excuse (and a valid one, I believe) is that my parents' house, where I am residing, does not have internet at the moment (yes, there are places in the U.S. without it!). But rest assured, I am going shopping for laptops and international wireless cards this afternoon. My hope is to have a laptop and internet access while I am traveling, but that will depend on a number of things not excluding cost, wireless capabilities in Europe, etc.

My First Days of Freedom
After a slight delay due to tropical storm Ernesto, I arrived in Oklahoma on Friday afternoon to spend the weekend with my parents, my sister Katie and her fiance Justin. We spent most of the weekend doing wedding preparation for their June 2007 wedding - we met with the caterer, florist, photographer, cake decorator (my favorite!), and spent 7 hours wedding dress shopping. It was pure joy to spend the weekend with my family, and seeing my baby sister in a wedding gown was unforgettable! We also had time to visit with extended family, including seeing my cousin's 3-month old baby girl. It was quite a busy weekend!

Now, I am just running errands to prepare for my trip and trying to relax a little (one thing I am not good at!). It is great to be at home and just "be" with my family. So far I am really enjoying my first days of freedom!

Living with Less

I first want to say welcome to everyone I have invited to view this blog! I appreciate your encouragement, and I promise to try to keep it updated, so keep checking back. ;) It is still a work in progress - please have pity on this first-time blogger!

So, I am renting out my condo furnished for the next few months to help pay my bills while I am away. This past weekend I put most of my personal belongings in storage, and I am spending my last evenings doing last-minute packing and organizing before I leave. As I've been doing this, it has occured to me that I am never going to fit everything I have left in two suitcases to take to Oklahoma with me. I am sending a box of winter clothes to my parents' and will still be squeezing stuff in my suitcases! This latest development has prompted me to reevaluate my own predilection for material possessions.

I don't really consider myself a materialistic person. I like nice things (of course, we all do), but I never thought I was overly concerned with possessions (at least, not in the American culture). But downsizing the past few weeks and planning a trip, where all I "own" for two months is on my back, has been somewhat refreshing. The truth is: most of us don't need nearly as much as we have, yet we are constantly bombarded with temptations to "get more." I admit, I too succomb to that urge more often than I would like.

So for my trip to Europe, I plan on taking the bare minimum ... a few pairs of pants, a few shirts, some basic toiletries, etc. It will be a nice reminder that we can survive (and perhaps sometimes, we live even more freely) with less.

Of course, I still want to buy a laptop for my trip. hmmm...

4 Days 'Til Lift-Off

I am finally down to my last days in D.C. before I begin my "odyssey." Although I have been preparing and packing for weeks now, I have still felt a little panicked this week, I think, for no other reason than I feel like I should. I know that may sound a little odd, but I am essentially leaving my job, moving away from my home, and altering my life completely (albeit temporarily, but nonetheless!). Every time I think to myself that I have things relatively under control, I immediately assume there must be something vitally important that I am forgetting to do. I admit this is a symptom of my sometimes-compulsive longing for control and yet another fine reason that I am doing something adventurous this fall. :) I suppose it is always a good learning experience to get outside of one's comfort zone, and bumming around foreign countries by myself will surely be that for me!

Despite a few last-minute things to be done here in D.C., I am ready. I'm looking forward to seeing my family and being back at home for awhile. I will be in Oklahoma for 2-1/2 weeks before leaving for Europe. This will give me some much-need time to destress, plus it will afford me the opportunity to spend time with my family, from whom I have lived apart for almost 5 years now. (I thought I would never say this, but) I think being back "home" will be fun. :)

Enjoying myself/ learning to "enjoy the journey" is really the whole point of this fall. I need to rediscover who I am and what I want to be and to explore what God has in store for my life. I came to the realization a few months ago that despite having almost everything I could ever want (within reason, of course), I am not happy with my life. I have a secure, good-paying job, a beautiful home, wonderful friends, a loving family, an awesome church ... the list goes on. Yet, I am not content. Granted, we can all learn to be more thankful for what we have, but I don't think my lack of contentment has (completely) come from not being grateful enough for the many blessings which have been bestowed on me. I believe it, instead, comes from God urging me to do something different with my life.

Since I completed a Master's degree one year ago, I've felt the urge to "make a move" (careerwise, mainly). But I just couldn't figure out what I really wanted to do next. I toiled with it for months and months until a church retreat in June helped me realize that I didn't really know who I wanted to be or what I wanted to accomplish with my life. Before making any more decisions, I decided I needed some time to explore these things. And despite a compulsion to "stick it out" until I had the answer, I felt like God was telling me to do something a little more drastic: to go off by myself for awhile, completely alter my life, and seek his peace and guidance there. So that is what I am doing - making my first bold step towards a new and improved me!

Here is my basic (tentative) itinerary for the next four months:
- August 31st - Fly to Oklahoma
- September 18th - Fly to Frankfurt, Germany
- September 19th through November 18th - Backpack around Europe (Sweden, Germany, Eastern Europe, Italy, and Spain)
- November 19th - Fly back to Oklahoma
- January 2007 - Back in D.C.