AI 126

I’m on an Air India flight, somewhere over the Atlantic, trying to comprehend the fact that I’m moving to Germany. I’ve been saying it all day, and over the last couple weeks – “I’m moving to Germany” – but somehow I don’t think it’ll feel real until I’m wandering through Erlangen, bags in hand, wondering where the hell I’m going to live, how to get to work, and who I’m going to party with. I’ve been pretty nervous about the trip, but sitting here on my way is completely exhilarating – I don’t know if I’ve ever been this excited.

It was harder than I thought to leave the US, even knowing full well that I’ll be back in 6 months, mainly because of the people. In the last week, in my efforts to see as many people I care about as possible, I had what amounted to three separate going away parties in three cities – I swapped stories, came up with inane cheers’, and took shots with dozens and dozens of the people who’ve made my life awesome over the last 10 years or so. Trying to pack as many stories as possible into three nights can take its toll on your body, but it was totally worth it. I’m not the type of person who does a lot of stuff alone, so I’m gonna miss my friends a ton.

That being said, I couldn’t be more stoked for this opportunity. I love the idea of dropping everything and moving to Europe, so the fact that I actually get to make it happen is unreal. The opportunity to work for adidas is amazing; this is the sole reason I wanted to come to Oregon and focus on sports marketing. This is the best thing that could happen for me professionally, and somehow, this opportunity comes with the chance to live and travel in Europe for a while. I can’t wait to get started, get settled, make some friends, and learn about life outside the US bubble.

I’ve never kept a journal (I don’t want to call it a “blog,” mainly because that sounds really lame), but I’m going to give it a shot during my stint in Germany, because I think it’s ridiculous that I haven’t chronicled my adventures over the last few years. Hopefully what’s in store will be just as interesting as some of the stories I’ve gathered. I don’t know if anything will top nearly getting stabbed in Argentina by a white hippie trying to get to the Bob Marley tribute show, a 22 hour trip to Aruba where some Dutch girls tried to teach us to salsa dance, or various impromptu cross country road trips, but I’ll do my best to keep it fresh for you.

Song of the Day – Pencil Full of Lead – Paolo Nutini

Book of the Day - The Dirt: Motley Crue - Motley Crue w/Neil Strauss