The Nightmare Before Christmas

Packing...

As we start to gear up for our impending journey across the pond, the packing horrors begin to set in. The beautiful Munich and Berlin weather shows a range of temperatures from 40-75 degrees Fahrenheit with a mixture of rain and sunshine.

Normally, one might find this temperature and weather gap to bring about an exciting mixture of outfit planning and daydreaming about various excursions. However, for an over-obsessive planner such as myself, this is a nightmare, especially considering the 40 pound weight limit of our suitcase.

Not only traveling outside the comfort zone of our country, we are also traveling outside the comfort zone of our every day attire: workout gear. In every class at the University of South Carolina, a fly on the wall will be able to spot at least three-forths of the students in lounge-wear, usually in the form of Nike shorts, t-shirts, and tennis shoes.

Europeans, our arguably more fashion-forward cousins to the East, bask in the glory of the day by stepping out in chic ensembles seemingly effortlessly thrown together and quite literally putting their best foot forward.

So, here I am. The lover of the comfort and casualty of Nike shorts, workout leggings, tennis shoes and t-shirts. Most specifically, the fate of the Asics that I hold near and dear to my heart, and soles, hangs in the balance.

My Asics stand currently ostracized from my over-stuffed suitcase. My main concern stems not only from finding room for them, but also from the comfort of my feet during the trip of a lifetime.

Our trip is centered around journalism projects, storytelling pieces about German culture. All of the equipment is checked out, interviews are set up and business outfits are planned and packed. The questions we plan to ask are painstakingly written, shot lists are mapped out
and we are seemingly set to go, with the knowledge that some of the best shots, quotes and experiences are taken spontaneously.

As riveting as the plight of my packing must be to you readers, the true adventure begins tomorrow at 10 a.m., and I'll need my beauty rest.

Stay tuned for more candid tales from my friends and I as we galavant through Deutschland!