Shaking hands, thrashing heart, and a weighted mind. All of these I experienced while driving to the Omaha airport. I couldn't believe that I was actually doing what I was doing. With each step, I grew more and more tense. With each breath, I grew more and more scared. What was I going to find? Who, or what, would be waiting for me on the other side of the world? My parents walked by my side, offering support each step of the way. I am not one for mushy goodbyes, but my mother, on the other hand, is a completely different story. She did well, holding off the tears until we parted ways, but I knew that the dam was going to break at any minute. My father was the same, a man with a face of stone but a heart of gold. As I walked through security, I gave one final glance back at my family, knowing that our next meeting would be far off. With my items scanned, and some confiscated, (toothpaste, deodorant, and mouth wash) I walked over to my gate. And it was at this place of great potential that I sat, and sat, and sat, and sat, for what seemed like an eternity. With the past few months having passed in a flash, I was just ready to be at my destination. I could feel the tension in the room; everyone was just as ready to be off as I was. The legs bouncing, the nervous twitches, and the awkward laughs made for an interesting afternoon. Once our plane arrived, we boarded Delta 5468, and we corralled ourselves through the corridor like captured cattle. Residing from a farming community, the irony of my, then, current situation seemed unbearable. I found my seat, counting down the rows, 1, 2, 3, 4...., until I came to 11b. Finally, my seat, and what a seat! Just enough room for me to put my arms to my side, despite ramming them into the arms of the seat. Honestly, for never flying before, my expectations were higher. Let me rephrase that, I am 19 years old, and I have never flown before. Before I knew it, I had crossed a couple items off my bucket list in less than 24 hours. I had flown in a plane, marveled in the same experience as the cattle that I had raised, and survived. Well, maybe the cattle part wasn't on my list, but nonetheless, I had accomplished so much in so little time. When the plane went up, my stomach decided to be an acrobat, and when we leveled off, my ears decided to implode. Thankfully, with the help of a kind, pure soul, I had managed to control my senses, and, with some gum, I eased my ears' pain. After a short flight, we began our decent, and the wave of unease returned. This time, however, I was well prepared, and I managed to stay in control of my body. After some brief banter with the other passengers, I retrieved my luggage and made my way out of the plane. While the feeling of flying was life-altering, I much prefer my feet on solid ground. Now, as I sit in this airport, I look around and see all the faces, and, for the first time, I see my fears, nerves, helplessness, and renewed hope in every one of them. Each person had, or has, a story, and they each have their own book to write, metaphorically. Also, as I sit here writing this, I also have to dread the 8+ hour trip ahead to Paris. Once again, the end result is one of bliss, but the journey to get there is full of obstructions. I guess I will just have to fly over them all, spread my wings and soar and all that. That is all I have, for now, but I will return with riveting news of my adventures. I took several pictures, and I hope to take many more each day. Here are but a few. I took a shot of the city of Minneapolis from an aerial view, and I managed to capture an image of the wing of our plane, again, with the help of a kind individual. Once we arrived in the terminal, I wanted to take some photos before people began to notice what I was doing. Sometimes, people don't like it when you include them in a photo without their consent. Finally, I utilized the facilities near the food court where I found this cool hand dryer. You simply move your hands in and out, and BOOM! Hands are dry. Well, not really, but those air dryers always have room for error. Anyway, I hope to continue to post more!  Take care to all who took the time to read this. Hope this hasn't bored you too much. Have a fantastic day, and "May the odds be ever in your favor!"

                                                                                            -Anthony