Bird in Flight

A tropical bird in flight, like me!

Happy Independence Day America! What better way to celebrate the United State's emancipation than to revel in my freedom?! As I was beginning to write this piece Iron & Wine's Flightless Bird happened to be playing on Pandora. How ironic; that's exactly the opposite of how I'm feeling right now. I'll be leaving for Paris & Barcelona in less than two weeks. I'm going alone... & I'm couch surfing, meaning I'm staying with complete strangers in the comfort of their homes. One might say that's crazy or ballsy or dangerous, & all three may be right, but you know what? It's also terribly exciting. I figured it'd be best to stay with people who know my destination city; who better than the locals?! Not only do I get the chance to stay somewhere without charge,  but I also have the added benefit of a built in companion. And worse case, if they can't hang out, I can always get some insider tips on what I should do & where I should go. And hey if any one's a complete nut, I can always just leave & check into a hostel. Awww, the freedom of choice. I also have no idea what will happen between the two cities. I arrive in Paris & depart from Barca, so somehow I just need to make sure I make it from France into Spain, which could happen in innumerable ways. In a rented car; a short plane trip; a train; en route from a possible stop over in Italy. But we're getting ahead of ourselves now...

Paris. Oh, Paris. It's a place I've always dreamed of going. Ever since I took French lessons in school. I love everything about the culture, the art, the fashion, the food! There's something so alluring about the French, something so undeniably romantic. I imagine cozy cafes, lacy lingerie, indulgent picnics with wine & cheese & crusty bread, lost afternoons in museums, inspiring fashion, conversations riddled with sexy French accents, etc, etc. Can you tell I'm getting ridiculously excited? I really can't believe I'm finally going to see this amazing place I studied so many years ago. It was so foreign to me back then, still is, but I actually get to experience it first hand. And what better season to go than in the midst of summer? There's something seriously seductive about wearing a flimsy cotton summer dress in the Parisian sun.

Barcelona. Oh, Barcelona, I've been warned I'm going to fall in love with you. And I promise I won't resist you. One of my closest
friends recently returned from Barca & she told me I'm going to want to move there. She's one of the people who knows me best in the world & I don't disagree with her conclusion. A few years back I desperately wanted to move to Madrid; Barcelona not only offers a bustling city, but also the beach! And again I hear there's not a better time to go, but in the summer. I know I'm going to love this place. I'm from Panama, but was raised here in the States. Growing up, my parents would speak to me in Spanish & I would respond in English, so I understand it really well, but don't speak it perfectly. And although I have no accent, I wish I was more fluent in Spanish. Thirty plus years later, my parents still have their accents & that just makes me smile. Hearing Spanish makes me feel at home. Hearing Latin influenced music reminds me of being a little girl & the many afternoons my parents would dance salsa in our living room. Those are beautiful memories. I can't wait to be submerged in that culture again. My bestie is right, I may not want to come back.

Sometimes I really do get a bit anxious thinking about this trip. I mean I am going by myself & staying with complete strangers. This wouldn't be the first time I traveled alone, but it is the longest, most risk-taking trip I've done. I kind of feel like it's something I need to do, an experience I have to have. I turned thirty earlier this year & I knew this was going to be a biggie. In the last six months I've changed & grown in ways I didn't expect. Who knows what might happen because of this trip. I could get a severe case of the travel bug & decide I need to take the next year off to see the world; I could fall madly in love with a Frenchman or Spaniard & have every reason to stay in Europe; I could really be entranced by the freedom of my trip & realize I can no longer work for anyone but myself; I could decide I've sewn my wild oats & want to really build something back in San Francisco. That's the beauty of throwing yourself into an extraordinary adventure, it can change your life in ways you can't possibly imagine. I can't wait to see what transpires when I spread my wings.

Sunset picnic in Paris; I plan to be one of those amongst the crowd

Words to live by