I T ' S C O M I N G

I woke a little while ago with a knot in my stomach. All of the goodbye parties are over, my room is packed into boxes (again), and there is a small pile in the corner of my belongings that will accompany me on this adventure.

I leave tomorrow morning for New York where I will spend a few days with my sister, helping her to pack up and say her goodbyes, too. I'm looking forward to seeing a couple dear friends while I'm there.  And then... Four days from now I will be sitting on a plane bound for Spain! This is still sort of boggling my mind.

To be honest, all of the emotions I am currently experiencing are ones of anxiety and sadness. None of what is to come seems real, nor can I fathom how it's actually going to be in reality. So I think the only emotions I can focus on are those that are very real for me right now. It's so hard to say goodbye to the ones I love - even though I know it's not forever. Leaving home, parting with with the familiarities and comforts of it all is scary! It's especially hard to walk away when my life here is so beautiful and fulfilling. Nevertheless, I know that once I am standing in the city center of Madrid, or strolling through the orchards in Amélies-les-Bains, or gazing up at the Alps in all of their glory - I will feel nothing but excitement, amazement and a complete happiness to be where I am, and to be doing what I am doing. I just have to get there - but at the same time, I want to be present and grounded in the feelings I have today, with my family and my friends. I am going to savor each minute that I have left in this grey, drizzly, lovely city.


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A few side-notes...


I've been taking time to work on a new look for Marmunia. I was feeling bored with it again. Trying to stick to the same feel and look as before, but soften it up a little bit and at the same time, give it more of a presence. You'll notice that I now have ads on the right! Also, I am working on redirecting it to marmunia.com - but I'm having some trouble. It should be really simple, but for whatever reason I'm having hard time.

I got an iPod touch, which I'm quickly learning is essentially an iPhone as long as I have wifi. I have an app so that I can text and make free phone calls to all of my pals back home - and I have instagram now (alysonsharon - follow me!) which I am pretty excited about. I plan to use it constantly throughout my travels. I think that will be a fun way to, in a sense, bring everyone with me.

Time to get this day started! I have lots of errands to run, things to do and people to see...


Here comes the beginning of the beginning!!!