The problem with planning to blog from your vacation is that if you’re having a blog-worthy vacation, you probably don’t have a lot of time to blog about it. That’s the issue I’ve been running into. I’m on a quick reapplication-of-sunscreen break in Dahab, where the pool and the 104-degree weather necessitating said reapplication is only steps away from my room. I’m sitting on a tiny twin bed looking at the towels on Ling’s bed, which have been twisted to look like swans kissing, and life is good.
Inshallah (“God willing” — I’m practically fluent already), I will update you in more depth at some point today during a bit of downtime between day and night. I won’t make any promises, but I’ll do my best. For now, know that Amman is fascinating, Aqaba (a beach town on Jordan’s coast) is lovely, and Dahab — with its laid-back vibe, phenomenal scenery, and roaming cats and dogs in lieu of hoards of tourists — is one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever been.
Guys, it’s really happening. I’m about to get on a plane to Amman. Before my friend — we’ll call her “Ling” — moved there, I probably had devoted four seconds of brain space EVER to thinking about Jordan, and now I’m going there. When I’ve told most people where I’m going, they say “Jordan? Like, the country?” Yep. The country. And I cannot wait.
Based on at least two and a half votes, I have decided to blog about my adventures right here at Six Words. HOW EXCITED ARE YOU?! To fill you in on what exaaactly I’m doing going to Jordan (like, the country), here’s some back story: My friend, Ling, was in my grad school program. [Ed. note: It’s funny to type that, because there was a girl in my grad school program whose name actually was Ling. Maybe we should have thought that one through before developing nicknames.] She got a kickass fellowship to move to Amman for nine months to study Arabic. She’s been there since January and knows lots more Arabic words than I do (I’ve got inshallah and habibi…we’ll see how far that gets me). Here’s a photo of Ling and I on Halloween last year (I was Bob Ross and she was my canvas):
This is actually what I'm wearing on the plane!
Our itinerary is fairly flexible, but the trip will include at least the following: living in luxury at a fancy hotel in Aqaba, on the Red Sea; putzing around Dahab, a laid-back beach town in Egypt; visiting Petra, one of the coolest places ever in the world according to lots of people; hanging out in Amman; etc. If I’m lucky, I might even learn two more Arabic words.
Even though I’m talking travel, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t include some sort of wacky video from the Interwebs. Here you go. Somewhat inexplicably, I think that video is one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Thanks for the tip, Mouser.
Today’s Google Holiday: The 71st Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. This is a fun one, no? I loved that movie so much as a child, but I was also completely and utterly terrified by it. I have distinct memories of sitting in the basement of my old house, hiding under blankets whenever the Wicked Witch or those horrible monkeys were onscreen. Not much has changed; on the rare occasion that I watch a scary movie as an “adult” (HAHAHA), I just cover my eyes and plug my ears and then have nightmares for years. (Speaking of which, read this.)
What I was Googling: jordan. Why, you ask? BECAUSE I’M GOING THERE IN A WEEK! I’m like, really excited. I definitely want to blog while I’m there, though I haven’t decided whether I should do that here or make a new blog. Kathleen has a different blog for her travels, but I’m lazy, so do I want to do that? It’s not like we have much going on at Six Words these days. Any thoughts on the subject?
In just a few days, I will be embarking on a crazy adventure to South America. (Have no fear, dedicated readers. SWTCTW will be getting a guest blogger!)
I can’t wait.
In my mind, I had visions of looking somewhat cute in my pictures. My rose-colored legit backpacker’s backpack, cute hiking shorts and a tank top, chilling in my Rainbows with a nice tan. You know…looking like a really cool world traveler in her twenties. Then reality hit me like a case of food poisoning while shopping at EMS today– I’m going to look absolutely heinous.
This ugly realization happened while perusing the shoe section. I looked at the hiking running shoes. Ugh. All repulsive. I usually mock people who wear these shoes, but in my defense it’s because they unnecessarily wear them as everyday shoes. I would actually “need” them. So I tried on a pair that was less offensive than the rest. After deciding I could live with them, I asked the guy if they were good for backpacking. “You will die if you wear those shoes,” he said. Quite forcefully, too. DIE?! I’m scared enough as it is! I don’t need your fear-mongering on top of my parents’ completely-expected-but-still-a-little-confidence-rattling paranoia, EMS dude. He then pointed me to a pair of shoes that made my stomach lurch. Yes, the ones pictured above. I was panicked. He told me I was going to die if I didn’t get these shoes!
The truth is that I’m just not that hardcore. When I say backpacking, I mean exploring the continent with a backpack…not spelunking and scaling mountains.
And I’ve changed the mental picture I have of myself traveling. I’m not looking to sound or act prissy. So what if I’m wearing clothes that aren’t the most flattering? So what if I don’t look my absolute best? Who am I trying to impress? I’m just glad I’m going. I’m going to see the world and I don’t care what I have to look like to get there.
But those shoes? NO WAY. My old pair of kicks will just have to do.
So yesterday I’m just driving along, listening to my beloved iPod, when “Hand In My Pocket” by my beloved Alanis comes on. This time, however, was different from the 500,000 other times I listened to it. I still sang poorly and confused the verses, but this time the song really resonated with me. I mean REALLY resonated. So I put that shiz on repeat. Alanis and her harmonica were slaying me. Then it hit me. Uh oh. I am now an angsty 20-something and Alanis’ music actually applies to me. (And everyone else, but you know what I mean.)
I began to evaluate my life. I’m very happy, yet emo at the same time. I’m with someone who finds my jokes tolerable (I’m funnnnny!), I’m working on a campaign (trying to be an agent of change and save the world) and living at home (if you live at home post-college, there is no explanation needed), going to South America post Election Day (backpacking around in hopes of finding some adventure), and hopefully going to grad school next fall (read: I’m not entirely sure what I want to do in life other than see the world and blog. But this will buy me some more time. Kidding…kind of.)
But who cares? No big deal. I want mooooooooooooooooooooooooooore.
That being said, I come up with a new plan every day. Two days ago, I decided I wanted to become an alpaca farmer. Seriously. I saw some Alpacas at a local fair and fell in love with the little bucktoothed buggers. They’re completely heinous and totally hilarious. What can I say? I have an affinity for inner beauty. I took a picture of one. He is my new muse:
Cute, right?
I’m all over the place. Just tonight I have looked at jobs with National Geographic, HuffingtonPost, and political consulting firms. Three weeks ago I envisioned myself moving to Seattle. Who knows? Maybe tomorrow I’ll decide to go to med school. Or maybe I can just get a pair of scrubs and pretend…
While this is definitely my quarter life crisis, I don’t think it’s unhealthy. I’m in no real hurry. I am, in fact, only 22–although I feel like a dinosaur when I get Facebooked by people born in the 1990s. I’ve still got a lot of questions that need to be answered. Like, what is a fire, and why does it…what’s the word…burrrrrrrrrrrrn. (That’s two Little Mermaid references in one post. Heyyyyo.)
When I do settle down, I’ll be ready for it. And like I said before, I’m happy right now. I’d try and describe how I feel some more (it’s half my blog I can talk about feelings all I want!), but hey, Alanis puts it best.
And what it all boils down to
Is that no one’s really got it figured out just yet
’cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is playing the piano
And what it all comes down to my friends
Is that everything’s just fine fine fine
’cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is hailing a taxi cab.
six words to change the world. 
