No, I haven’t started packing yet. But my empty suitcase is, in many ways, the perfect symbol for my pre-departure state of mind. I haven’t travelled much, but I’ve travelled enough to know that possibilities become logistics and realities the moment you touch down at your destination. The same goes for packing. The moment I start putting things in that bag, this trip becomes less about all the possibilities and more about how much tooth paste I think I’ll need. That stuff is important and I would never advise going to another country without preparation or research. But I’ve learned that it’s just as important to enjoy the potential of a trip before my expectations face reality. Expectations will always change, and more often than not it’s better to go into an experience like this without expectations. My dreams of jamming with Greek musicians or writing a story about a nearly extinct language might be just that – dreams. Within moments of touching down on the tarmac, those dreams will change, but at the moment I’m still enjoying the possibilities.
That’s the beauty of an empty suitcase – the potential. Who knows what I’ll need? Anything could happen, right? That state of mind can really only exist for a little while. After all, I do need to pack at some point. And yes, this philosophy is an elaborate form of procrastination. But it’s also a way for me to relish the infinite possibilities of a trip like this before I inevitably get bogged down in the details.
The devil may be in the details, but the angels reside in an empty suitcase.
This is my first blog post, so if you want to know a little more about me click here. And if you want to see some of the stuff that’s come out of my crazy mind, feel free to go here.
Cody Mello-Klein, reporting from Greece 