Up in the Air

I just flew Over New York City and right before that I flew over Washington DC.  It’s funny.  I waited so long to do what I have always wanted to; see the world, and I still haven’t seen my home.  I find it funny and a little bit sad that my first view of the Statue of Liberty and our capital is from the air.  I know they are down there, but I can’t see them clearly.

I haven’t climbed to the crown of Lady Liberty and looked out over New York.  Four generations ago, she was the hope of my grandmother’s family.  She was reassurance and a sign that there was nothing left to fear.  I haven’t seen it.

I have always known that the United States was a refuge to many many people.  I have always taken it for granted that I could pretty much say what I want and do what I want and believe what I want.  We are working on the “love who I want” part, but we have it pretty good.  I didn’t realize how proud I was of my home until I realized I hadn’t seen it. 

I’m flying around the world and I am so very excited.  I told the shuttle driver, who took me to the airport this morning, that I was from Montana and how much I loved it.  I told him that I loved Texas too, which I do, it’s just never going to be home to me.  I told him that the most exciting part of going to Cairo (aside from the fact that I’M GOING TO CAIRO, is going somewhere so culturally different.  It really is incredible.  He told me about how he ended up in Houston, TX from Pakistan.  It was a good conversation.

We are on our way to fly over Halifax, Nova Scotia and St.John’s and we still have 3300 miles to go.  We haven’t even started flying over open ocean. 

I don’t know if my friend, Caryn, can read my blogs, being that she is traveling the world by sea this semester, but if you can and are, I am thinking about you tonight.  I hope you are well tonight, on the ocean, while I am flying over it.