Sometimes the Universe has different plans.

Get ready for an incoherent rant about my life/the beginning of this adventure.

Once upon a time I was leaving for Istanbul on February 1^st, 2011. Then once upon that same time, Mother Nature had different plans. A blizzard was sent the way of the entire Midwest the night before my planned departure. I began to panic. Then, at the suggestion of my friend and fellow world traveler, Shayna, I called Delta Airlines and tried to re-schedule. “Call in the morning,” they said. So I did. I called this morning (January 31^st) at 8:30AM and was told that I could leave at 1PM or 6PM. Obvz more time to pack means more time to pack, so I took the 6 o’clock flight out of Tulsa. At least I was supposed to.

I got to the airport with my parents at 4PM, as per the suggested two-hour advance check-in by TSA. It was already delayed till 7:45 when we got there, but why not just do it anyway? Trying to check my baggage was another problem. For international flights, you’re supposed to be able to check two fifty-pound bags free of charge. Well, since I had re-scheduled my flight, I was no longer connecting to an international flight but rather flying to Atlanta, staying the night there, and then checking in again for my Istanbul flight. This is what I was told. After a three-hour delay in Tulsa, we finally got off the ground. I sat next to a kid from Grove whose mom had picked him up after school and said they were going to Disney World rather than being trapped at home for days on end. I love spontaneity. You go, kid’s mom.

So, I get to Atlanta, ask a guy at the desk what to do, and hesitantly confirms what I had been told in Tulsa. Pick up bags, check in again, sleep in terminal.

I picked up my 38 and 50-pound bags (along with my carry-on backpack and messenger bag), and don’t rent a $4 cart to push everything around (because, let’s face it, saving money and getting a workout in the mean time is always a win) and head for the Delta counter way at the other end of the terminal.

I get to the counter, where I find my Disney World-bound friend again, and wait to check back in. The lady at the counter tells me that TSA doesn’t allow baggage scanning until at least 4:30 and that Delta has a 6-hour-prior check-in policy. So. Not much I can do about either of those. So I lug my 90+ pounds of belongings back down the terminal and I currently find myself sitting in Atlanta Bread in the Atlanta airport. Sleep may come. But not till I’m completely exhausted and the floor zamboni thing stops cleaning and flashing.

Mainly I’m glad I got out of Oklahoma before the sky decided to freeze everything like the dark side of Pluto. The next twelve hours will probably hold lots of time on my trusty computer and doing absolutely nothing productive. Good thing I like the unexpected, right?

Next blog comes from Istanbul. At least, that’s the plan as of now.

Five.

The last time I wrote a blog entry, I was in South Africa and it was titled with numbers. This time I’m in America and have also titled in numbers. I have five days until I leave for Istanbul, Turkey. When I started this blog, I had no idea that I would be spending a year of my life in different countries. I thought I’d be documenting my then ongoing experiences in South Africa. But while there I had the idea to study in Turkey as well. Why? I’ve always wanted to go to the Middle East and while I realize Turkey is more Westernized than, say, Syria, Saudia Arabia, Oman, Egypt, or others, Istanbul is also a city that has been inhabited for millennia and has a rich culture as well. Turkey is the only country and Istanbul the only city to straddle two continents: Europe and Asia. As a result, it also straddles two kinds of cultures and is completely unique in that sense. From west to east, Turkey is, well, more western and eastern. I won’t go into everything now, but will instead leave the Turkey topic there and reflect on my time in South Africa.
Since being back, I have realized a few things.

First of all, America is home. That is for sure. Not only did I miss all my friends and family while I was gone, but I missed the culture of America. I missed the orderliness (of every day life, the government, the people), individuality, diversity, technological accessibility and many other things.

Secondly, I am beginning to see life and everything to do with it in spectrum-terms. For most of my intellectual life, I have known there is a political spectrum. For most of my adult life, I have known race and ethnicity are a spectrum, especially living in America, the melting pot. In recent years, I have known human sexuality and gender are a spectrum. And more recently, I am beginning to realize patriotism is also a spectrum. While I may have missed and enjoy the above qualities of America, let’s say I’m still not a huge fan of the inequalities I see in human rights through domestic and international policies, American materialism, or some views Americans hold of religion, science, and politics. (I’m going somewhere – bear with me.) Patriotism is a spectrum. I have listed likes and dislikes, and while these describe me, they certainly do not apply to everyone in the US. For some, certain qualities in America, whether governmental, belief, or lifestyle-wise, may be perfect. For me, both yes and no. I am beginning to see that no country is perfect. For some, America (or Sweden or the UK or Uruguay or wherever) is as close to perfect as they want. Still others yearn for something more and emigrate elsewhere. Others put up, settle, or vocalize discontent. Patriotism is a spectrum.

Thirdly, I miss South Africa. I miss the genuineness of the people. I miss taking it easy. I miss the simplicity of either being with people or being by yourself. In the US, with the Internet at your every turn, cell phones going off, and TVs bombarding us with information, it’s easy to be “with” someone all the time. In South Africa, Internet and cell were limited, and TV to me was basically non-existent. I was either with people or I wasn’t. Back at home, when on coffee or lunch dates or what have you, someone’s phone is always out on the table. I remember in South Africa, phones stayed in pockets during conversations and when you were with someone, you were really with them. I connected with people faster and deeper than I almost ever have at home. It’s not that technology is a crutch or a hindrance on the American people – it’s just the society we live in. It’s a fact of life.

I was going to continue here with some thoughts on technology – but after typing a couple incoherent lines, I decided against it. In summary, America is home for the most part. I missed you all for sure. And I missed aspects of my life here at home. But I also have gained an appreciation for simplicity.

Istanbul calls louder with every passing day. I already miss you all but am so excited to tell you about everything that happens in the coming months. Soon.