Namibia Travels Part I - Back to Texas I Go

Yesterday morning, I woke up at 5 a.m., sick to my stomach with nerves about traveling (okay well maybe I was also sick because I only had gob cake for supper that night (oops) and I started taking a typhoid vaccine). I leave for Africa July 9th, but my flight back to Texas was to be today at 11ish. So, fast forward through yesterday - stressful packing, nervous sickness, a going away fire, and many goodbyes. This morning, I woke again at 5 a.m., this time to say goodbye to my dad. As I was soaking up my last and final hour of good sleep, my phone rings. American Airlines. My flight is canceled... And rescheduled for way later tonight.

If you know me, you're probably aware of the fact that I'm not exactly a fan of surprises and I love when things are planned out and go as planned. So, you can only imagine my initial reaction. 

However, as I complete all my pre-travel requirements, such as vaccines, paperwork, and packing, I come to terms with how much life is about going with the flow. Nine times out of ten, my days absolutely do not go as planned. I'm slowly learning to accept that. It is what it is, and life will go on. So today, instead of being angry with American Airlines, I am going to thoroughly enjoy the extra hours I now have in Somerset. Leaving home is always hard for me anyways. I don't like leaving my family, friends, or my dogs. It's an odd thing to be consumed by wanderlust and a yearning for home at the same time. But that's basically my life. 

I'm going to try to blog as much as possible about my study abroad in Namibia. Since my flight today will be the initial flight in this magical journey, consider this the first blog in the series to come! Thank you for reading and I hope you'll stick around for the good stuff. If your day doesn't go as planned, try to focus on the good. Even if there is only one good thing going for you today, stick to that and make the best of it! That's what I'm gonna do.

- Julia Grace 

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step - Lao Tzu