My Brisbane Blog: Pre-Departure #3: Leaving the States

(Written in Chicago before first flight. Posted during my layover before flight to Auckland.)

TIME TO LEAVE 'MERICA.

Thanks mom & dad:

I was lucky to spend yesterday in Chicago with my dad and celebrate Ash Wednesday. It was great to be on Northwestern's campus and visit the city I hope to live in after graduation! (If the cold doesn't scare me away). I was hit in the face with a lot of wind... but also a lot of diversity, which was refreshing. Even at the Catholic church on campus, there were people of many different ethnicities.

That last day to hang out in America ended, & now I'm sitting comfortably at my gate ready to board the plane.

Thank you mom & dad for getting me to this point, for helping me with

all the paperwork & research I did, & for not crying too much :)

...and of course to Linds, Luke & Paul for listening to my babbling about Australia.

Update: All my bags made it on the plane & my luggage weighed under 50 lb! Woo hoo!

Thoughts while going through security:

Do I have everything?
How much time do I have to get to my gate?
Did I remember to bring a toothbrush? And underwear? AND MY WATER BOTTLE?!
Why didn't I bring less stuff? I need it, it's fine.
If my carry-on tote bag breaks, I'm screwed. Sidenote: I brought an extra backpack, knowing my tote would probably break. Thank God for carabiners which are always extremely helpful in travel situations.
I hope my frozen neck pillow (we left it in the car last night) thaws out by the time I get on my next flight
Do I have my passport? What about my boarding pass? Oh, it's in my pocket.
(As I'm waiting to go through the metal detector) That's the cutest TSA guy I've ever seen. He's probably the only one.
Why did the lady at the other end of the metal detector pat down my left arm & right leg specifically? This is stupid and pointless.
Oh no... is the other TSA guy going to search my bag now?...

...which brings us to this VERY weird thing that happened.

The TSA man at the end of security picked up my rolly suitcase, the one I do NOT want to unzip because it's packed so tight.

TSA man: Whose is this?

Me: That's mine, sir, is there a problem?

TSA man: No, we just need to look in it real quick.

Me: Ok. Sorry, do I have liquids or something?

TSA man: I think it's candy.

Me: I might have M&Ms in there (Paige these are for you btw!! 🙈) but I swore I put them in my checked bag. (Also, why would it matter if they were in there?)

TSA man: (opening every zipper and digging around) This is it. *pulls out my jar of 250 gummy vitamins*

So, do you like the taste of these?

Me: Well yeah, they're great, but I just take 2 every day.

TSA man: Then why do you have so many?

Me: I'm going abroad to Australia for 4 months. So about 150 days...

(Apparently I don't have a stamp on my forehead that says Study Abroad Student)

TSA man: Oh, ok. You're good to go.

*attempts to zip the bag & I have to help him*

In conclusion: I find it super weird that he didn't care about the 3 bottles of Advil I have in there. (they're not all for me. It's way cheaper in America so I'm bringing some over for my friends.)

STILL you'd think he would've cared about all those pills, not my delicious gummy vitamins.

At least he was nice, & thank God he got my bag zipped. AND let me keep my vitamins.

Leave, Get Out:

(Props to you if you get the reference)

Now it's becoming real. All that's left to do is sleep, eat, read & watch movies.
Yup. I can enjoy some forced relaxation time.

Thank you mom for the passport case & new journal,

& thank you Tasha for the glorious rendition of the Aussie flag ;)

Prayers & love to everybody else traveling, & especially for my friends & family at home/USC who I'll miss so much!

The last thing I want to do is share one of my favorite quotes (what's new?) with all of you back home reading this. Surprisingly enough, it's not a worldly quote about traveling or seeing the world or any sappy stuff like that (although I totally buy into that.)

This quote is from the cheaply-made hilarious 80s movie,

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. It's on Netflix; go watch it.