Mother Freaking DUBAI

People. My adventure of a lifetime has officially begun! As we speak, I am sitting over 8,000 miles from home in the very classy Dubai airport. Correction- I am lounging in a highly uncomfortable, probably pretty dirty red chair by my gate for the next 7 hours, barely containing my excitement at FINALLY getting to India. The flight over was the most lovely flight I think I have ever encountered, despite the fact that it was a billion hours long (okay, okay it was only 15 1/2). For starters, the plane itself was bigger than anything I've ever set foot in. I'm used to the little tin can planes with two rows of two seats that I have to cram myself into and smell oddly like restrooms the entire flight. This plane, this beautiful, well-ventilated plane, had STAIRS people. When I walked into the incredibly non-claustrophobic hull and saw that staircase I knew I had arrived. Finally. Once I found my seat, got situated, and started eating popcorn, I got another nice surprise. The in-flight entertainment had full length movies and TV series. Hellooooo Downton Abbey season 4! Essentially my flight consisted of me eating popcorn, peanut butter m&ms, shamelessly devouring the in-flight meal and accompanying coca-cola light (how non americans think that this compares to actual diet coke i will never begin to fathom), watching the entire season of Downton (yeah…about 7 hours of television. I'm not proud. But I kind of am. Whatever haters) and sleeping intermittently. It was a fast flight, which I am more than grateful for. Now, Dubai. Dubai (from the many promotional materials I watched while on my way over) seems AWESOME. HOLD UP. Muslim call to prayer is happening literally as I type this. OMG OMG OMG I don't know why I'm fangirling over someone singing Arabic over a loudspeaker but SERIOUSLY. Being out of the US is so cool. To say the least. The airport itself is high-tech, beautiful and freakkkinnnng big. Remind me not bring anything heavy AT ALL next time I travel. Also remind me to not wear a straw hat (that is NOT a fedora) and really, really wide printed pants traveling. I look like a hobo, not like these classy ladies I see to the right and left of me. More than anything, I am excited to be soaking in NEW. New places, new people, new cultures, new food items on the Burger King menu (don't act like you wouldn't get some BK whilst in Dubai either). This, people, is what life is all about. Traveling also makes one grateful. Grateful for the nation we have to live in (and seriously, America, I am absolutely going to make it up to you next year for not being in you on your birthday. Jared and I already have our outfits planned), grateful for the people we have around us to love…I think that this trip is going to humble me to a point where I will start living with gratitude, as opposed to occasionally feeling that pang of gratefulness. I'm going to think on a few things while I sit here and wait and wait and hopefully something profound will make its way into my little thoughts. MOTHER FREAKIN DUBAI! INDIA IN THE MORNING! WHAAAAAAAT??!?!?!