Back in Motion

Typically, I embrace moving around the globe. I feel so absolutely spoiled by the job I have and the fact I get to experience so many different places, cultures, languages and foods. I thrive on the continuous movement and don't really excel at staying in one place, even when that one place is my own home.

I went to Hawaii for Thanksgiving and the exit has left me almost perplexed. It was a super short trip, but I always knew it would be. It isn't the first time I've done something like this. I had four full days there and they were absolutely packed, like in a way that I couldn't have sustained for a full vacation. We went snorkeling, fishing, manta ray sighting along with the norms of beach laying, happy houring and simply eating well. A lot was crammed into four days, bookended by really, really long travel days.

Normally, I would be able to leave without a hiccup. I love being in motion, but this one was a little harder. I wasn't ready to leave; I don't think it was because I was worried I'd miss out on anything....I think it was just that I got to have such a relaxing, enjoyable time that I wasn't ready to say goodbye to it. There were five of us: four adults and a child. It was a good group and we found a nice rhythm and I felt our days just flowed. I don't have that feeling at work or normally with family. So once I found that rhythm, I wasn't ready to leave it.

I flew out of Kona later on Saturday with a layover in Honolulu and then a red-eye into Atlanta. When I was in Atlanta, I spent about an hour just walking between all the terminals to get in my steps and workout on a travel day. Then I got on another flight to Punta Cana, Dominican Repbulic followed by a several hour bus ride. It was a long two days of travel and I don't think I settled into it until I was in Atlanta. Typically, I get to the airport and I'm in travel mode. But this time was different....I didn't want to go. I didn't want to move. I was actually happy and content staying still for a bit. 

A bit of a novel concept for me over the past few years but sometimes it is nice to know that I might be able to reintegrate into "normal" society after running around the globe year after year.

Ready, Set, Go: Holiday Plans

I promise I've turned the corner and I'm back to more consistent writing. It's been a crazy few weeks and sadly this whole blogging thing had to take the backseat. But I'm back to loads of travel and hopefully wild adventures and it all starts tomorrow!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be in Hawaii, Dominican Republic and the continental US. (I get that Hawaii is part of the US, but it doesn't really feel that way.....) And I can't wait. I think all these trips will get me into the holiday spirit and I'll arrive back to Belgium on December 16th ready to relax and enjoy the beauty of Gent at Christmas time. Europe all decorated for the holidays is truly one of my favorite places and times on Earth. I'm already in the holiday season just thinking about it!

It all begins super early tomorrow. I need to be out of the apartment by 4am to make it to the airport on time. And I'll be closing up the apartment for a few weeks, so I need to get the fridged cleaned out, laundry washed, trash dumped, bills paid, bags packed, doctors visited, and etc today. As I'm working my way through this big list, I just keep reminding myself, "I'll be in Hawaii tomorrow!"

I've never been to Hawaii before and I'm incredibly excited. It just seems so majestic and stunning. We are going for a Friendsgiving and the biggest problem is how short my time there will be (I know.....not a real problem). I arrive quite late on Tuesday and have to fly out on Sunday. In those four full days, I plan to be out under the sun, in a bathing suit and hopefully with a fishing rod in my hand as much as possible.

Following Hawaii, I head to the Dominican Republic to take part in an amazing service project before traveling to Atlanta for a week-long training camp. I've bookended the end of this trip with a little family time that I plan to spend with my sister, who is one of my most favorite people on Earth and truly serves as my rock. 

Ready, Set, GO!

Food, Food, Food: China Edition

For my Beijing trip, I was only there for less than 70 hours, so I wasn't quite as concerned as my Japan trip-- foodwise. I didn't pack nearly as much emergency foods. I knew that I would mainly be eating in restaurants, so I figured I'd have control over my gluten, dairy, peanut and banana intake. I also figured that while in China, I needed to just go with the flow. To my surprise, it was quite easy to stick to my diet and the food was always very tasty.

On the first night, I had an early dinner at the hotel's main restaurant, which had both Asian and western options. I started with the egg white soup with shrimp and scallops. For the main, I had a Thai beef salad. Whenever I'm super jet lagged, I tend to have a much smaller appetite and soup and salad was the perfect light option.

Every morning, I had the exact same breakfast: congee with pickled vegetables, fresh fruit, two hard boiled eggs whites and a coffee with soy milk. This is actually what I try to eat every morning when I'm on the road, both personally, at a race or for meetings. 

I was actually pretty pleased to stay with my normal foods. The hotel had a massive breakfast buffet and 95% of it was foods that I was super confused by and couldn't understand how you could eat for breakfast. Lots of fried, rich and heavy foods. And things I couldn't identify. That's why once I found the congee, fruit and hard boiled eggs, I stuck with it every morning.

On Monday night, I ate with my athletes at their hotel (about five minutes away from my hotel). We were all just too tired to put in any effort to find somewhere else to eat. Their hotel restaurant had a massive menu. We kept picking things but the waiter would tell us it wasn't available. This went on for awhile until we all basically ended up with vague resemblances of what we wanted. I got a beef and vegetable dish and ordered what I thought were grilled green beans on the side. Instead, they were hot peppers. I don't shy away from spicy foods, despite my Crohn's, and these peppers turned into an eating competition. I definitely lost but still managed to get down quite a few. I think my mouth is still burning.

On the final night, I ate at my hotel's Asian restaurant. It was pretty large and wide open. I was lame and arrived at about 6:15pm; I was the only person there. They had me sit front and center in the middle of the restaurant. Let's just say I was left feeling a little exposed and awkward.

I fell in love with this crab/lobster picker that came with my place setting. So adorable! 

For dinner, I ordered a mushroom soup in a super basic broth. It was light and fresh. Then for my main, I had the seasonal hairy crab with asparagus and more mushrooms. I grew up in the mid-Atlanta US region, so crabs hold a close place to my heart. It was a fun experience but this little guy didn't have much meat. Definitely more work than filling! But the big plate of asparagus and mushrooms made up for that and I headed to bed satisfied.

After traveling to both China and Japan in the past two weeks, I would say that I preferred all the fresh fish in Japan over what I ate in Beijing. But I was impressed with the food I had in Beijing. I had heard such mixed reviews about dining in China. I'm sure it is very different in the rural areas, but Beijing was a win. I enjoyed trying all the new foods and I was glad that I could stick with my eat habits, both mainly gluten and dairy free along with loads of fresh fruit and veggies.

China in 65 Hours or Less

I had heard so many mixed things about traveling to China that I had no idea what to expect. From start to finish, Beijing amazed and spoiled me. I adored the chaos, motion and mix of ancient and modern. It was quite clean and everyone was friendly. My hotel felt luxurious (despite a super cheap room rate by Western standards) and I could always find something tasty to eat. The one important thing to realize: you take your life in your hands every time you get in a car, taxi or cross the street. 

The flight over was unremarkable and I was able to sleep probably about 5-6 hours. This was wonderful because I was looking at about five hours of meetings straight after arriving. From touchdown on, my life centered on caffeine, caffeine, caffeine. After the meetings, I had an early dinner and climbed into bed before 8pm.

Halloween was my main day there. I had press events from morning until night. If I've learned anything while working with exhausted pro athletes after a race: bring loads of hot coffee. 

And a little for myself to stave off jet lag throughout the events.

The day ended with a simple (but tasty) dinner with the group.  We had ideas of going to a recommended Peking duck place but by the time all the events were over, we were too exhausted to do anything but eat at their hotel. By 9pm, I was walking back to my hotel and taking in the massive Beijing skyline.

I was supposed to have a day of events on the 1st but everything got canceled and I ended up with an unheard of tourist day. This literally never happens in my work, so I ignored the fact my foot was in a boot and took in as many of Beijing’s sights as I could cram into an afternoon.

I loved every twist and turn. I took in the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. I wish I had more time at the Forbidden City; this could easily take a day in itself. I was completely enthralled by it and for anyone visiting Beijing, start there.

It was a minor adventure getting home from the Forbidden City because of Beijing traffic. The first cab I got in tried to charge me 100 yen to go three miles, which was absolutely absurd. So I got out (he made sure he turned around and put me in the wrong direction/wrong side of the road before letting me out: see above note about the dangers of crossing the street) but then I found a new cab and was on my way. Twenty-six yen later and I was at the hotel. My foot was throbbing, so I took a tub and iced it before heading to dinner at the crazy hour of 6:20pm. I ordered what was the seasonal specialty - the tasty hairy crab and another early night to bed.

I got up early, snuck in some simple yoga and was on my way back to the airport, less than 65 hours since arriving. 

Food, Food, Food: Japan Edition

Usually, I don’t have much control over when, where or what I eat when I’m at a race, but Japan is slightly different. I think everyone knows how lucky we are to be in Japan, so there is a little more leniency to go explore and enjoy the local fare instead of always eating hotel buffets. My personal aim was to eat raw fish as frequently as possible.

I wasn’t great with staying gluten-free but I also wasn’t terrible. There was only one night where I actually didn’t care at all. I had worked late doing many, many, many interviews and by the time I could go eat, only two other coworkers hadn’t eaten. It was Friday night and we wandered around for quite awhile trying to find somewhere that was open, had seats and would take credit cards.

We eventually settled on what I would describe as a Japanese pub; it was the type of place you take your shoes off and then sit on the floor around a bar. We let the bartender/waitress pick what we ate and it was quite the experience. All the other diners adored us, despite the fact none of us could communicate with each other. It gave us that true ‘local’ experience that I always look for in my travels.

Utsunomiya is known for its gyoza, which I had never tried and it definitely didn’t disappoint. We also had edamame, soba noodles and a salmon and rice dish.

I was glad I had packed all my snacks, especially on the two race days. The road race is in the middle of a forest and there are literally no options except for the sandwiches the race provides. I stuck with a can of tuna fish and my muffins. I also used the coconut milk and teff every morning; our hotel breakfast was not quite to my taste.

One of the most memorable dishes I ate was actually at the Tokyo train station. I googled breakfast places while on the train and found Tsukiji Sushisay Honten. When I got there, I had three choices, two ochazukes and one sashimi. I just randomly pointed to one of the ochazukes. It was such a perfect meal of chopped up salmon belly that you poured savory tea broth on. Mix in some rice and little rice crackers and it was truly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. A few tamago slices and ginger and I was set for my day of travel.

Wild and Wonderful Japan

The biggest theme of Japan was jet lag. It was a constant battle to avoid napping during the day and then staying asleep during the night. Fortunately, I’m lucky enough to travel with a doctor who provided me with a decent sleeping pill every night.

Japan is magical to me. It feels so strange and foreign, yet it is incredibly safe and clean. The people are always friendly and helpful. I didn’t have much free time, but when I did, I wandered. We stay in a fairly industrial city but at the train station, there is a huge mall with loads of restaurants and shops. I would walk up and down aisles after aisle taking it all in and trying not to buy every single dish, mug and treat that I saw.

While this race is fun, it also is one of the most intense and work-demanding races of the year. On Saturday and Sunday, I literally had a minute-by-minute schedule to adhere to (with interviews starting at 6:45am). This included needing to round up over half a dozen people at all times and organizing a much larger team all day long. I’d saw it was managed chaos. But all the prep work from the previous weeks really paid off and everything flowed seamlessly. And I really felt like we capitalized on our short time in Japan to get out as many stories as possible.

I tried to keep as healthy of habits as I could, including daily walks and yoga, but I also enjoyed as much of the food as I could and probably one too many sakes. I do think I’m coming home a kilo or two heavier than I went….how is that possible when you focus on raw fish (and tried to be aware of my rice intake)?!

Closing out the trip, I decided to take the bullet train to Tokyo on Monday morning before my flight. The race organizes a bus for everyone to get to the Narita Airport, but it takes nearly 2.5 hours. I figured it was worth taking a 50-minute train and exploring with that extra time. In my head, I always worry this might be my last time going somewhere or doing something, so I always want to maximize my adventuring. I ate some tasty food and found gifts to take back. It actually ended up being more stressful than I would have liked. I didn’t feel like I had enough time, I felt a bit lost and turned around and I was worried I’d miss my flight, but in the end, I’m glad I did it. Adventure big.

Now I’m heading back to Belgium for four days. On Saturday, I fly right back to Asia, so the jet lag theme is going to continue for awhile. This time to Beijing. 

Eastward Travels to Japan

I've been spoiled for the past few weeks, even months, without having to wake up early. Following surgery, I let my body sleep as much as it needed and this really ranged from day to day. When the alarm went off at 6:30am yesterday, it was a little shock to the system. Fortunately, a hot shower and espresso got me in gear quickly, or so I thought....

I walked over to my tram station and got on my normal tram to the train station. Sadly, there is major construction and detours going on with Gent's public transportation and I ended up going in the complete wrong direction. I got off and had to hobble, a little faster than my foot would have liked, over to a different tram stop and then was properly under way. Luckily, I've learned many times that things can go wrong with Belgian public transportation, so I always build in a huge time cushion.

A quick Starbucks at the train station and I was on my way to Zaventem (Brussels airport). Ran into some friends from another team at the airport who were heading to the Tour of Hainan; it was nice to catch back up with work friends after not traveling for nearly two months. I had a short flight from Brussels to Amsterdam and then had to wait in maybe the longest immigration line to date while transferring through Amsterdam.

I headed straight to the KLM (Skyteam) lounge with hopes that I could use points/pay to upgrade to business class. I've been concerned about flying this far with my foot and thought a lay-flat bed couldn't hurt. I asked and the woman sadly told me that she had sold it just 10 minutes before. I was bummed but figured I shouldn't give up so easy. I sat down and did some work until it was basically time to board, then I reapproached her and asked if anyone in business hadn't made the flight. To my surprise, she said yes! We processed the transaction as quickly as possible and hobbled super fast to the gate as it was finishing boarding.

Flight attendants on KLM and Delta are always amazing and this flight was no different. I asked for ice for my foot and the flight attendant took amazing care of me from that point forward, continuously bringing me bags of ice wrapped in a towel. Super amazing service. They also made me a gluten free plate of food (no soy sauce, no miso, no tempura, etc), which was above and beyond my expectations. Sadly, I didn't sleep well though. My foot just hurt; there is no way around it. I wasn't comfortable no matter what I did.

We landed and I soon met up with a few riders from my team. We all grabbed much needed Starbucks and then started the journey to Utsunomiya, Japan. The Japan Cup is by far one of the best organized races in the world and everything flows seamlessly. We had a nice 10-passenger van for the 2.5 hour ride, where I proceeded to catch up on Teen Mom (one of my dirty little travel habits).

Since getting to the hotel, I ate a little food, iced my foot crawled into bed for a two-hour nap and then went out for an hour plus walk. My foot is still bothering me and I've been good about icing it. I'm glad to be back in sandals and not lace up shoes and hopefully it'll calm down if I take it easy for the rest of the day.

Traveling to Asia: Gluten and Dairy free

One of the favorite reasons why I love the Japan Cup is the absolutely delicious food; I adore sushi. But in years past, I wasn't gluten or dairy free, which vastly changes things. I leave for Japan tomorrow and now I have to avoid soy sauce and can't enjoy all those tasty soba noodles. I've done a little research and it seems eating gluten free is nearly impossible in Japan, so I've packed loads of snacks to get me through the long flights and then several days on the ground in Japan. (I also made some homemade muffins and 'granola' bars which aren't included below.)

Not quite all of the above made it into my suitcase because well....I don't want it to weigh nine million pounds. I only took a few of the small olive oil and vinegar squeezes and only enough coconut milk powder and teff for a few days. I also split all of this into two pouches, one for my long day of flying and the rest checked into my suitcase. Here is the total haul: 

• Justin Almond Butter
• MiniOliva
• Coconut Milk Powder
• Lentil, rice and sesame mix
• Mexican Tuna Salad (I promise I won't eat this one on the airplane!)
• Teff (similar to oatmeal except I can't eat oats)
• Corn waffles with salt
• Organic, gluten-free gummy bears
• Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
• Lots of bars
  • Raw Bite bar
  • Wild Thing bars
  • Nakd Toffee Treats
  • Life Bar
  • Beet Boost

I have an emergency pack that I keep in my backpack at all times, so not just for flights but also for race days. This includes:

• Aloha Chocolate Protein powder (dairy free)
• Variety of teas, both with and without caffeine
• EmergenC
• Scharffen Bergen Mocha Bar
• RooBar
• CleverSnack
• Clif Shot and glucose tabs

When I'm dealing with extreme time zone changes and long flights, I really try to stay hydrated. The first thing in the morning, I ingest copious amounts of caffeine. Then at night, I try to get in as much sleepy time teas with chamomile or valerian root. I also just enjoy options.

I head to the airport early tomorrow morning. I'm hoping I've packed the perfect amount of foods...enough to get me through but not too much that I'm bringing any back. Now off to the next adventure!

Day in the Life: Getting a Chinese Visa

Part One:

When I found out that I was going to have surgery at the end of last week, there was one major to-do that I needed to check off my list before getting cut open: getting my Chinese visa. I'm traveling to China at the end of October and need to get a visa for the trip. This includes handing over my passport to the Chinese Embassy for a few days/weeks until it's approved. As an expat living in a foreign country, I never really feel comfortable when I don't have my passport at arm's reach.

The big catch here: the Chinese Embassy is closed the first week of October and I fly to Japan for a trip in mid-October. I couldn't wait until after surgery to get it done, so I had to push people to expedite my invitation letter and then spend one of my last mobile days in Brussels.

I scrambled to get all my paperwork together. This included copies of my passport, Belgian ID card, stamped documents explaining why my name is different on my Belgian ID card and my passport, proof of travel/payment, stamped invitation letter from China, lengthy application form, and a passport photo. Then I drove a car for potentially the last time in 2016 (isn't that crazy to think?!) to Brussels.

The whole process was actually much smoother than I anticipated. When I tried to make an appointment on their website and then called, both times I was told there were no appointments available but that I could come in and wait. I anticipated a six-hour wait....

Instead, the man who checked over my paperwork was super nice and encouraging. He said it looked great, that I should get approved and the wait wouldn't take long. I took a number, sat down and lost myself in blogs about the same surgery I was about to have (this maybe wasn't the world's best idea.....)

Barely 90 minutes later, I was walking back out into the Brussels sunshine and heading back home. They told me that I could come pick up my passport and visa on Sept 28th, two days after surgery. I asked to push it to Sept 30th, hoping I would be recovered enough to ride in the car to Brussels (a little over an hour from Gent with traffic). She warned me that if I didn't pick it up on the 30th that I would have to wait until Oct 10th because they closed for holidays. This was too close to leaving for Japan and didn't leave any wiggle room, so I was motivated to get there on the 30th.

Part Two:

Sept 30th: I've only left the house once in the past four days but I have to get to the embassy. I had my best night sleep last night and am nearly completely off all pain killers, so I figure I'm as good as I can be to head to Brussels. We load me up into the car, the long way, and set off. Traffic isn't too bad and it only takes about an hour. Sitting in the back allowed me to keep my foot slightly elevated and I spent the trip catching up on work.

The Embassy was as quick and efficient as my last trip. I waited maybe 30 minutes before my number was called. To my surprise, I was given a Chinese work visa that's good for 10 years and allows for multiple entries. We loaded me back into the car and then hit loads of Brussels Friday afternoon traffic. Lovely....

Now that I survived that little adventure without much pain or problems with the foot, I'm going to push to be allowed out of the house again later today. Maybe read a book at a cafe?! Or something so crazy as getting to go grocery shopping!

Quick Jaunt to Munich and Oktoberfest

Last week, I headed to Munich, Germany for two nights for work meetings. Because what would my life be without a few flights sprinkled throughout the week?! I haven't been to Munich in probably 15 years and didn't pay much attention to the fact Oktoberfest was set to begin while we were there. A quick early morning wake-up, tram to the train station, train to the airport and then two flights got me to Munich.

It took basically all day (this is my own fault because I only want to fly SkyTeam, which always means a connection through Amsterdam), so a quick shower and I was in a cab to dinner. It was a big work dinner at a pretty traditional German place where nearly everything was breaded and fried. At that point in the evening, I was still making good decisions and went with the steak tartar with a side salad (and some fries). It was great catching up with people I hadn't seen in months.

With all the famous Munich beer houses right around the corner, about a dozen of us decided we needed to hit the Oktoberfest night life. I walked into Hofbrau and agreed with a coworked that we would only have a glass of wine. Before I could say anything, a round of these were delivered to the table:

I had that moment where I knew drinking one would be a bad idea for so many reasons, but then the side of me that loves an adventure spoke up and won. I cheered and drank with the group and loved every moment of it. I knew the experience and memory would be worth it....until I had my cab ride back to the airport. Forty-five minutes later, I was crawling into bed at nearly 2am with a full day of meetings staring me down. 

I think I look pretty decent for only a few hours of sleep. The next day was spent in meetings from 8am until 5:30pm. It wasn't too bad and in hindsight, I'd do it all over again. I skipped going out that evening, basically because I needed sleep and I couldn't fathom another Oktoberfest night. Apparently, I'm getting too old...and the whole gluten-free thing is a huge downer at a beer festival.

Instead, I went to the hotel restaurant and caught up on work and emails while eating alone. I assume other people who travel frequently feel this way, but I have absolutely no issues with eating alone. I typically take a book or my laptop and still enjoy. I had been in meetings all day and traveled the whole previous day, so I was behind on work. I would rather get caught up over a glass of wine and a steak with salad and go to bed knowing everything was taken care of than having a sense of anxiety and unfinished business.

The next day, I flew back home (of course via Amsterdam) and managed to get home early enough to enjoy a lovely evening out in Gent dining al fresco. Soon the Belgian rain will start and these warm days will be a distant memory.

Eats on the Road: Travel Day

As a general rule, I try to avoid plane food. I'm willing to say I've never eaten a plane meal and thought, "Mmmm, that was delicious. I'm happy I ate it." But thanks to a blood sugar issue, I can't skip eating, so I plan ahead and bring snacks.

Took a piece of fruit from home and grabbed a soy latte and sparkling water at the train station. Ate most of it on the train to the Brussels Airport. It was a shockingly bad latte.

I spend a lot of time on planes, so eating healthy is pretty important to me. If I let every travel day be a "cheat" day, then it'd quickly catch up with me. And the food is never worth it. So I try to stick to fruits, veggies and the occasional bar.

My sister found me these Julian Bakery bars and I've since ordered a box of the sunflower butter ones. Only 150 calories, 20 grams of protein and gluten, peanut and dairy free. They aren't super delicious, but they aren't bad...which is actually what I want. I want to eat it because I need food, not because I'm bored and just snacking.

When I flew to the US last weekend, I took with me a variety of snacks so I could pass on the sad chicken salad or the "before we land" snack. Being peanut and gluten free, this means I skip on the peanuts and pretzels. (I do get excited when flights hand out cashews or almonds...) 

I wish I had some salsa to enjoy with these Party-Tizers Dippin Chips but felt good to get in some veggies as part of my salty snack.

Last week's trip left Brussels, passed through Prague before landing at JFK. Many of these snacks came from my Love With Food gluten-free snack box subscription. So excited they deliver to Belgium!

I'm a super fan of these Got Snacks Roasted Coconut Chips in cinnamon honey. I kept trying to put them down but in about five minutes, I'd eaten the whole bag.

When I travel, I try to get a meal or at least grab something to go during a layover.  The Prague Airport was a little lacking. There was a juice bar, but it was closed while the staff went on break at noon......really?! Everything else was just....no.

This is why I try to steer clear of the unhealthy snacks...I have zero self-control. I probably had three (maybe four) mugs of potato chips. And I don't regret it.

Instead of grabbing sub pair food, I hit the lounge where I ate my body weight in potato chips and a few splashes (glasses) of only okay wine. I'm not always so good at that whole 'don't drink while flying' advice, but at least I try to offset it with loads of water.

Growing Up Prep

I went to a small, southern all-girls boarding school for high school (except freshman year). The first year had a steep learning curve both academically and socially.  As a tomboy since birth, being around 115 girls 24/7 took some adjusting... So did all the hugging.

I went to Chatham Hall and my graduating class was 26 girls. It was situated in the middle of tobacco field Virginia where the most exciting things were the really terrible Italian restaurant, Sunday food trips to Walmart and the occasional journey to Danville for a movie and IHOP.

Unlike all but three other girls, I got to leave campus twice a day and go to the neighboring boys school for swim practice. When it wasn't swim season, I played field hockey, lacrosse or soccer....and rode a horse or two. Sports kept me fairly sane in this environment. 

I haven't stayed in touch with many people since the day I graduated. Social media makes it a little easier but it's been almost 20 years and my interest has waned. I've never been to a class reunion and I'm not sure if I ever will.

A small Chatham Hall reunion. This might be as close as I ever get.

So when Mari said she was getting married, I knew I had to go. She was one of my best friends in high school and someone I've stayed in touch with over the years, despite us both hopping around the globe. Luckily, it was at the point in the season where I could actually disappear for about 40 hours. So I jumped on a plane from Brussels, had a slightly ungodly layover in Prague and landed in JFK. Got picked up and a few hours later landed in New Haven, Connecticut. Home of Yale. 

Mari and I probably senior year of high school (I think taken 1998). At Chatham, you are put on either the gold team or purple team within a day or two of school starting. It has a legacy component to it. We were obviously both gold.

When I accepted my invitation, I had no idea who would be at this wedding. I assumed Mari, similar to me, wouldn't have stayed in touch with many people from high school. I planned to fly in on Saturday and back to Europe on Monday. I knew one of our shared best friend's, Andrew, would be there, so I immediately roped Andrew into being my pseudo date. 

Turns out I knew a total of five people at the wedding, including the bride. I'd met maybe four others randomly back in high school. Aside from Mari and Andrew, I hadn't seen any of those people in twenty years. Two others I've at least stayed in touch with via social media, but that was it. What impressed and amazed me was how quickly that core group of us fell back in step. It felt nice to be me...to know I'm still the same me. And everyone else was basically the same too. Sure, there are various career paths, babies and partners now, but everyone else was who they were when we were all semi-angsty teenagers. 

Could Andrew and I look any more New England yuppie?! I wish I could claim this was planned.

It was a super fast trip and one that left me wrecked with jetlag, but I'm really glad I went. I had more fun with these five people than I anticipated. The exit was fairly uneventful with an Amtrak train ride to Newark Airport in New Jersey, a flight to Amsterdam, a quick connector flight to Brussels, a train and then a tram and I was home in Gent.