Anti?cipation and excitement are two of the best and, in some situations, worst feelings a person can experience. I?ve been consumed by both since September, when I signed up for a 12-day trip to Europe with the high school.
I am so unbelievably excited to go overseas for the first time, and each day the trip creeps closer, I reach a new level of anticipation.
The only times I?m not as super excited for the tour is when I?m reminded I actually have to pay for it, but I quickly tell myself that it will be so worth the money.
The trip will be the ultimate Europe experience, at least for me. We?ll spend a few days in London, a few days in Paris and a few days in Rome. It?ll be an amazing journey.
And one of the best parts is that I?ll be experiencing all of those places with some really awesome people and some of my closest friends. I already know I?ll come back with some wonderful memories.
I?m easily excited, especially about traveling on trips like this. In order to try to contain my anticipation and at the same time build my excitement, I like to do lots of different things leading up to the day of departure.
In the months before my family went to Disney World, I devoted all of my free time to watching everything Disney and planning our trip to the very last detail. Before I went to New York City, I watched every movie that took place there that I could find.
Until I fly out of Wichita in June, my free time is once again being spent looking forward to my trip. Since I?ll see a variety of destinations and sights, I can do a lot of different things to build my excitement.
First, anytime I have time to watch a movie, it most certainly is a movie set in London, Paris or Rome. I imagine I?m already there with the characters and taking in the sights that will be right in front of my own eyes in only a few months.
I?ve taken my old Mary-Kate and Ashley movies off of the shelf several times, especially during Christmas break, and watched the twins explore London, Paris and Rome.
Also, when I?m feeling like wasting time on my computer rather than doing homework, I research history and facts about the places I will go to. I?d much rather learn about Westmin?ster Abbey, the Louvre or the Roman Forum than macroeconomics and geology.
Last semester, I took a western civilization class and learned a lot of history about London and Paris. It means so much more to visit places when I know the significance, rather than only having read the name on the itinerary.
Another way to pump myself up for the trip is to attempt to learn some of the different languages I will hear. So far, I can fluently say ?hello? and ?goodbye? in both French and Italian.
I?ll admit most of my Italian vernacular comes from listening to Paolo on ?The Lizzie McGuire Movie.? I?m hoping to learn even more once school is out, when I?ll have more time to focus on important things like that and not waste my time on homework.
As with any big trip, I could worry about a lot of things. It will be my first time flying across the ocean, which, especially with the recent disappearing Malaysian flight, is something that makes me a little nervous.
I?m worried about getting sick and not being able to fully enjoy the trip. But those are all small concerns compared to the excitement I constantly feel.
In less than 80 days, I will have stamps in my passport and memories in my mind that will last a lifetime.
