Written March 3, 2017

I’m on the plane! This is my 3rd time leaving the country, but my first time flying across the ocean. I’m excited and nervous and happy and sad all at the same time. I’m excited for this experience- from developing deeper relationships with my classmates, to seeing new places, to teaching in a school setting different from the one from where I grew up.

Today has been interesting. I get super anxious before traveling. I can be driving 30 minutes down the road and I’ll still get an edge before I leave. It has been a rough day just because of that. I went to my greenhouse lab this morning, and the whole time I was freaking out on the inside. Airplane travel is safer than driving a car, but I still get a little worried that I’ll be in that 1% that gets in a plane crash. Crazy, I know, but I still get upset. My brother drove me to the airport (because he’s a saint) and I know I was making him tense talking about all my “but what if” scenarios. Once I got in the airport and checked my bag, I calmed down a lot. Our tickets were booked with sky priority, so being able to bypass most of the security lines was a major relief. I love being on time, early if possible, so long lines are also a major source of anxiety. It worked out perfectly though, and we breezed through security in less than 20 minutes.

Looking toward actually being in Scotland, I’m very excited to see all that it has to offer. It’s taking us two planes, a bus, and a train to get there, but surely this will be more than worth the travel anxiety. We will be teaching lessons at Troqueer Primary School in Dumfries, Scotland as well as working in their garden. We will also be collaborating with education students from the University of Glasgow. I am incredibly passionate about education, especially informal and nonformal educational experiences, so this trip is right up my alley. Frankly, I signed up at first because it was a cheap way to travel, but now I am very into the actual content focus of this trip.

Catch ya later, America. Next time you hear from me I’ll be across the pond!