One Hour Away

I'm going to go ahead with a short post now because I have to leave for the airport in an hour and I have a few phone calls to make before I do.  Forell put together a farewell gathering for me last night, which was far more than I expected and was an excellent send-off.  This morning I finally found a place to stay for my first two or three nights, which is very comforting.  I feel good, I'm excited to get going.  

In the last few days I have thought a lot about my first summer at sleep away camp.  I was eight years old and had always been a very homesick kid.  The night before I was terrified, and the first week of camp was a cry-fest.  I can only imagine what the counselors were saying behind my back.  Reflecting on that experience in light of the traveling and moving I have done since then, and in light of planning for this trip, has been an interesting experience.  I am happy to say that, even though there are of course some light jitters, I feel much more excited than anxious.

I was planning a more in-depth and introspective post but I don't have the time, so that will be coming upon my arrival in Damscus, when I have more time to work on it.

For any curious parties, here is a list of the items coming along:

Clothes

5 varieties of footwear:  Running shoes, Topsiders, Sneakers, Flip-Flops, Soccer cleats

3 nicer pens for journaling

12 Bic pens

16 Number 2 Pencils and sharpener

500 Flash cards (not sold in the Middle East)

Toiletries (Tooth brush, toothpaste, travel shaving cream, four razors, soap)

Claritin (Just in case)

Pepto Bismol Tablets

Big tube of sunscreen

3 journals to write in

Small Moleskin date book

Leatherman Juice multitool

Smiley face bandana that has been everywhere with me since eighth grade (overnighted from Colorado last minute by my roommate, cohort, and man-date partner, Dylan Robert Michel)

Pentax K1000 (Analog camera circa 1972 that I have used since 10th grade)

4 rolls of color film

2 rolls of black and white film

2 extra camera batteries

Mac laptop and charger

Rayban aviators

Eye glasses

2 baseball gloves and baseballs (So I can teach new Syrian friends or host brother to play catch, not, as my father thinks, to drive him crazy)

4 books for fun:  Eating The Dinosaur by Chuck Klausterman, Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, For Whom The Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, Florence of Arabia (Recommended by Maud) by Christopher Buckley

4 practical books:  Guidebook on Syria, Arabic textbook for my first and second year classes, English-Arabic dictionary, Arabic-English dictionary

1 extra duffel for weekend trips and my end-of-summer excursion

1 backpack (made by the New York Sports Club, stolen from Max Bosworth several summers ago)

197 pounds of pure power

Looks that can literally kill

Mary Sullivan's good Karma

Ok non-existent readers, lunch with F-train and ORP, then off to the airport.  

Quote: Courage is a mean with regard to fear and confidence.

- EHB