Leaving Home

Last night a few of my good friends surprised me with a going away party. Family, friends from home, and friends that I haven't seen in years all showed for a barbecue and we played games all night long. I was a little suspicious of what had been planned for the night, I just know when a best friends is up to something, but nevertheless, I was still really surprised at who all showed up. The night  was a success, and I was very grateful to those who put it together and also everyone who showed up to support me on my trip.

I will miss a lot of people. I will miss a lot of fun summer road trips, rock climbing, and killer surf, but that's about it. Today, I have never felt more ready to leave. And while I love my family and friends, I can feel a strange force pulling me away from home, away from those who have shaped me into the man I am today, and into the world that I do not know, the man of tomorrow who is calling me onward.

My trip was supposed to start on Friday, when I will fly out to New York, but I couldn't wait that long. I decided to prelude my trip by going to Hume Lake on Tuesday. Two of my friends, Jordan and George, dropped all of their plans to make it happen. Neither of them have very much money, and I have very little to spend before arriving in Greece, so were gonna buy two loaves of bread, some peanut butter and jelly, and live off that for the next three days. We're not telling anyone at Hume that were coming. We will just show up, and hope to find a place to crash for two nights.

With Tuesday coming up, I have so much to do in just a day and a half. I need to move out of my room, it is likely I will not live in it again (After Greece I will be moving to San Diego for school). I also need to wash and clean out my car and leave it looking nice for my grandparents, who will be using it over summer. There is some unsettled conflict with a friend I just learned about that I would like to straighten out before I leave, but we can hardly find time. Most importantly, I need to say good-by to family here in Temecula.

Thankfully, because of the nature of my trip, packing took me about 20 minutes: 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of pants, 3 shirts, 4 underwear, 3 pairs of socks, 1 jacket, books, journal, coffee french press, camera, headlight, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. Packing light is essential because I will have my pack on my back every minute of every day. I had to get rid of half the clothes I originally had to make room for my french press. Coffee is just as essential.

The stress is closing in, pressure from all sides that I can hardly stand.