Romanticism (Part I)

Recalling the times I have flown into LaGuardia, JFK or Newark International Airport, it has always been very clear to me who on the flight is a first-timer to NYC. It’s the person who leans far over toward the window to admire the skyline below; who tries to take photos from inside an airplane (perhaps they work for some, but mine have never turned out); or who tries to whisper discreetly to their traveling companion upon seeing Manhattan (the whispers that always seem to be quite loud and filled with anticipation for their upcoming adventure in the city). Yes, those are the first-timers.

Then there are those on the plane, who for one reason or another can’t be bothered to look out the window and who have seen the view far too many times to marvel at its beauty. Admittedly, I may have shown this carelessness upon landing to prove what a native I had become to the city after two years of residence, but really the view below has and always will impress me.

When we began our descent over Lake Victoria it wasn’t glistening, sparkling, or shimmering, but it was peaceful. The houses below weren’t colorful, grand or original. The roads were few and the bridges even fewer. There really wasn’t much to see at all. (Kampala, the capital city, is north of the airport in Entebbe.)

As the descent continued, I thought about all that I will experience this coming year, including: challenges in my work assignments, frustration as I learn and adjust to French and Lingala, excitement in meeting new roommates and friends, and a lot of tears as I struggle to understand and accept the extreme poverty that people live in.

I also noticed that I wasn’t alone in my anticipation for all that would come to pass. The people on the flight were most likely returning home, visiting family, or traveling for work or pleasure, but I can for certain say that everybody was leaning over to catch a glimpse.

So the next time you fly, whether it’s your first time to the destination or you’ve been there a hundred times, be excited; excited that you belong and that someone or something is waiting for you, whether its family or friends, a boyfriend or girlfriend, or if it’s a new adventure and someplace unknown that awaits you. Be excited. Life is too short not to.

p.s. For obvious reasons stated above, I have never hesitated to show my excitement upon landing in Lincoln, Nebraska (& I must admit, New Jersey too!)