Good Day

I don't even know where to begin. This happens everytime I think. There ends up being so much time in between my blogs that so much happens I don't even know what to say when I finally sit down and write my hello... So I guess I'll just touch upon a few things.
A friend of mine, a friend of many, died late last month. Derrick Timmermans was involved in an accident as he was driving home from The Kings University College in Edmonton to Abbotsford during reading week. He hit a patch of black ice, spun out, and after a couple of days in hospital he was declared brain dead. While it is difficult to imagine that a 25 year old vibrant young man could be taken so young, at the same time we learned that his family is at peace with it. Two of his sisters flew out for the memorial and informed those in attendence that Derrick was 'ready to die', not hoping or waiting for it, but not afraid or worried about it. And as a further blessing, we learnt that all seven of his major organs, and both his eyes were donated. It is extremely rare for someone to be able to donate all their organs, so in a way he lives on in the lives that his family's selfless action of donating his organs restored life for many others.
RIP Derrick. God Bless to your family and friends. See you again some day.

In other news, a little less somber, I quit my job and am planning on going to Europe. More specifically, I am finished working at the Flying J as of March 19, 2008 after two years and nine months of work. It has been interesting, educational, stressful, and fun. No idea what is next in line for me in terms of work, but I am not to worried about it at this time.
The plan is that on April first, I will hop a flight to the Netherlands(Holland) where I will spend a month or so backpacking and exploring the country of my ancestors. I have always wanted to go and have talked about it many times, and while I have not yet bought my plane ticket- I am going to do it this time. I intend to embark on this trip solo, and although I am more than a little terrified about it, I strongly feel that it is the time to go. I emailed a cousin of my moms who lives in Friesland(Northern Netherlands) and she told me that I am welcome to stay with her for up to two months. Since then the trip got shorter, but it gives me the freedom to stay longer if it doesn't feel like the time to leave. I have also got ahold of a friend of mine from there, a guy I met about 5 years ago, and he said I can stay with him as well. He lives a bit more in the Western end of the Netherlands and is doing a practicum right now, only working a few hours a week. He was really excited to hear I was coming down and mentioned he might be willing to travel with me. I've another friend there, whom I met at the same time as that guy and he is pretty busy right now, but I am pretty sure(pretty hopeful) that he will be available at least a couple days as well. Finally, a friend of a friend is an au Pere in Switzerland right now and she gets weekends off and we might be meeting up for aweekend in Nice or something as well. So while I am going alone, there is a chance of meeting up with various contacts.
It is hard to believe it is real. I applied for a Mastercard and it came in the mail today, so I have my emergency money while I am gone. I bought a travel backpack this afternoon. It felt like a really big commitment, like admitting to my bank account that it is about to dwindle. It has me excited, like the trip is more real then ever before. Now I just have to work up the nerve to walk into a travel agent and book my flight.

The best thing about the whole thing is the fact that I really have no idea what I am doing with my life after this. If the month doesn't go well, I come home and return to life here, what is a month out of my life? It'll be an adventure in the Netherlands, in Europe, so it wont be anything close to a waste. But if it does go well, then who knows. Perhaps I will stay longer than the month, or I shall return home for the summer, put away some more money, and go back, in the fall, or next spring. Go back to travel more, or to work. To visit or to live. Anything is possible and since I really have no idea, I am trying hard to be open to any and all options.

So, to be cheesy, the winds of change are blowing and my world is about to be turned upside down. Heres to the adventure and the unknown to come!