From my journal:
<<< Here I am on a plane thousands of feet above the Atlantic Ocean, on my way to spend over seven weeks in England. I've been aware of this moment for years now - as a dream, a potential, an expectation, and now, finally, a reality. This is the beginning of what will hopefully be a lifelong adventure outside of my comfort zone. Comfort zone, really? More like the teeny box of life experiences I've had thus far. I want to recognize that through a reliance on the Comforter (Christian Science), my comfort zone can include every right, good, selfless, challenging, growth-promoting activity. I don't want to limit myself even by my own human will or mortal tastes - those just aren't mine and don't need to govern me! I want this trip to be about living selflessly. I want to care more about my peers than about myself. I want to be quieter, more thoughtful. I want to maximize my moments, create time to study, reach out to God, and support others. Because this desire is in line with "unselfed love" I know it will "[receive] directly the divine power" (Science and Health 192).
Okay, as inspiring as I just attempted to be, I'm not done writing... While eating a mini pizza on the plane, I got a chunk of tomato in one bite - the kind of thing I'd usually just put back on the plate. Instead, I heard my own encouraging voice in my head: "That's right, H-ie! It's a tomato!" and then I ate it. Great progress, self! I also ate a salad with pepper cream dressing; the fact that I even opened the dressing package impressed me enough to eat the whole salad. Not bad - sort of like ranch dressing's mild but classy big sister. >>>
Moments when I got a little giddy: when the plane started circling the airport (I literally clapped my hands), when I saw the sign for "lifts" and "authorised personnel only"in the airport, when I saw Ali Bradshaw (my first familiar face abroad), when Ali's dad asked, "why is everyone queuing up over there?", when Ali's rabbit starting running on my feet under the breakfast table (which means it wants attention), when a taxi found me after I realized I didn't know how to find a taxi, and when I saw my abroad group!
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