And Here We Are

Tonight I begin a foray into uncharted territory. Writing has long been something I have struggled with, especially writing I know others will see. Perhaps then this blog can help me push the boundaries of both my written word as well as my physical presence outside of the inter-web-verse.

*Lights come up on an average young woman, mid-twenties, behind counter in a coffee shop, eyes focused on something far far away, absent mindedly wiping the same spot on the counter over, and over, and over, and over.....*

Let me just preface (postface?) that with the fact that I actually love my job. I work in an amazing 24 hour coffee shop. I started off there 4 years ago as a lowly part-time graveyard barista and have worked my way up to become a full time salaried manager. The shop is vibrant and bustling and strange and wonderful. Full of sizzling emotions, passionate artists, babies being born (not mine) and lots and lots of really awesome awful puns,. My co-workers are all heartfelt supportive humans who are like celebrities to the many early morning/late night/somewhere in between creepies and creepets who patron our favorite grungy hangout (I say that with all the love in my heart -lets face it- most of us are creeps or creepets deep down). That being said I've been plugging away at this for a long time now and as most 20somethings realize, I don't really want to be a (insert food service job here) forever. Being a Taurus though I don't easily uproot myself, and so I decided to go on a trip. A trip that would mark the beginning of the next chapter of my life! The only question remained where? I had always wanted to go to New Zealand, but for some reason that didn't feel right. South America? I had the coffee passion and could go explore coffee farms, but I am bogged down in the coffee world now and need a break. I started thinking about family history, considered Greece for a flash (as I am half Greek) but I have always wanted to go with my sister and the type of trip I wanted to take was probably going to be more of a solo adventure. And like a great stein hitting my on the head I realized I wanted to go to Germany, my mother spent much of her life in Germany and Austria as a young girl, as well as her older siblings and I got it in my head that I wanted to go see the place they grew up. Thus, an adventure is born.

It has since grown into an insane western world adventure, my very loose itinerary looks so far like this

Portland --> Montreal --> Toronto --> St. Johns --> Dublin --> London --> Germany --> Austria --> Switzerland --> France --> Spain --> Portugal --> Spain --> LA --> Portland

Some of these places I don't foresee being in for more than a day (some of them even less than a day) but even so it is a lot to cram into 2 months and I am beginning to doubt my grasp of time and space. Either way, here is where I will do my best to document my wanderings and preparations for this mad endeavor. I have never been the best at grammar so do forgive any errors that make you grind your teeth or send me back to grade school. Bear with me as I gush about missing my cat, as I inevitably will do, he is darling to me and I already miss him.

And as for the name, my plan is to go here and there, to hear their stories and learn about their lives, who ever they may be. Coupled with my terrible grammar I thought it surprisingly clever! Til next time.

Auf Widersehen

Alex