Second Day

Feb 16, 2007

It's the second day abroad and already I've experienced my first trip to Chicago - complete with generous seat space - and my first international flight - with much smaller seat space. I've had my first traveller's ailment (from a bit of dehydration and lack of sleep, I think - not from tainted water or food); my first scam (a man dropped his own ring, pretended to have lost it, gave it to me and then asked for "money pour food"). I've toured Notre Dame and seen more Renaissance paintings in the Louvre than I'll probably ever see again; I've spent more euros than I hoped to and I've felt more initial culture shock than I had expected. But all in all, I've proven to myself that I can travel smartly: I can make plans and follow through with them, I can be flexible when need be, I can overcome a language barrier (even with signing what I want to impart), and I can enjoy myself immensely half way around the world. More so after the jet lag subsides...