-I was surprised at how much energy I had at this point- Let me start at the beginning of my journey, at the airport. I met this nice woman named Caitlin, who was headed to Greenland, she knew German very well and taught me some phrases. She also gave me the whole season of Chobits, Lost Worlds, andt Ouran High School Club, to keep me preoccupied for the nine-hour layover that I had at the ORD airport and the other nine hours flying from ORD to VIE. The nine hours weren't as bad as it seems, really, I spent some time doing the pre-class assignment that we had for Conducting and was able to think a lot about things I don't really think about during my hectic semester: not having anything to think about. Yes, at once, I felt present yet at the same time, incognizant of my surroundings. I sat there, indifferent of the hundreds of people around me, who seem to be doing the same thing, and then I realized that there was no music coming out of my earphones because my battery had died. How long were those earplugs in my ears, I don't really know, but it gave me an unutterable moment of peace. I stood up and found a booth that is specifically meant for charging your devices and I was there for two hours. Three hours before my flight, United Airlines finally released information about where my terminal and gate is. So I went to the terminal specifically for international flights, went through security check all over again, and finally, arrived my gate. I waited an hour and a half for my flight, and I was neither excited nor afraid- I felt indifferent- maybe it was the combination of the fact that I am journeying to foreign land by myself has not yet sunk in and I've also only had three collective hours of sleep in the past thirty hours.
We finally boarded, and I ended up not sleeping at all, although the whole flight was enjoyable, I still felt discomfort, merely because I wanted to sleep horizontally, so instead, I spent most of my waiting time watching whatever I had on my laptop until it ran out of battery, and iPad. Upon my arrival, I got my luggage, and didn't know where to go at that point. Although it was unnecessary to feel this, but I felt like I needed to act like I knew what I was doing because I felt like everyone knew that I didn't. I was afraid of leaving the airport without knowing where to go, but I did anyway. I stayed focused and with the little German I knew, I was able to find the airport van that takes passengers to the train station. I was right on time when the van arrived to take people to the Wien Westbahnof Station. There I was talking to my brother, who was worried at the time, and read a message from my mom, who was also very worried. I felt worried and uneasy because they were worried. I tried to not think of that anyway because I needed to stay focused. Upon my arrival at the station, I found my way to the particular train that is bound to Salzburg, and realized that it I have to wait for an hour before it actually leaves. So I sat and watched Howl's Moving Castle, while at the back of my mind, questioning what I have just done, and trying to absorb what is actually happening- I was present, in a different sense, I was present in the real world I was presently in. I felt alone. But I instantly came into my senses and realized that I am right where I'm supposed to be, so I felt reassured.
I walked from the train station to my hotel and it was quite an experience. I was observing everything that was happening, everything seemed really normal. Although I was suspicious of everyone that was walking against my direction, I tried my best not to make an eye contact as I didn't want to stir up an idle conversation.
As I was walking in the streets of Salzburg, everything, aside from the German signs, seemed normal, (and by normal, I mean, normal in the American standard), everything is very self-explanatory. There are definitely a lot of vandalism around, but the beautiful parts of it looks just like the facade buildings in Universal Studios, only they're 3D now. Anyway, everything seems to be going the way it's supposed to. From the airlines in the US to the trains here, everything went perfectly well. Today, I'm planning to go to the mall which is attached to this hotel, I'm not really going to take a stroll around yet, I'll have a lot of that when I walk from 4km from my hotel right now to our actual hostel tomorrow. I'm not really too excited travelling by myself either, I like talking about what I see with whoever I'm with. Me travelling by myself will just be me, walking, and enjoying the music I play in my head or actually listening to. Plus, I feel more safe going to places with at least one other person that I know.
So that is the beginning of this long journey. I look forward to writing more journals to document this whole experience. I will make sure not to miss anything and I want to read what I have written in the future!!
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