A Smattering of Favorite Moments

I jumped out of an airplane for my 30th birthday. This was an experience, make no mistake, especially since I’m completely phobic about flying. How then do I fly all over you ask? Simple. XANAX! Anyway I was just Facebook chatting with an old high school friend (shout out Jimmy). I was saying that as I exited the plane I thought “this was not a good idea.” And he said, “yea, but I bet you count it as one of your best moments.” Which got me thinking . . . I’ve had such a spectacular life. I mean really! I have a gorgeous family and the most amazing friends that I think anyone has ever had, and I’m not trying to be hyperbolic, it's really true.

I started thinking "what do I count as my greatest moments," and this is what started popping into my head:

Making Minnie Driver uncomfortable at a play in London. (I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Bryan, when you said it was her!) – 2000

Successfully saddling a horse (thank you Rachel!!). –2009

Playing a British version of Monopoly with the Nigerians we were staying with in Logos, Nigeria (that was the point we finally looked at each other and thought, “oh, we all are the same here,” up to that moment we had been eyeing each other uncertainly). –1995

FINALLY hearing my name called at graduation [from Etövös Loránd in Hungary] (I wasn’t sure until I heard it if they were really going to let me graduate) after barely surviving 16 linguistics classes, the writing of a master’s thesis, and that little business of extortion the secretary to the foreign students pulled on me at the LAST minute. –2002

Thinking and crying, "well, I'll never graduate since they want me to pay them a bribe" (to get them to accept all my general credits and to not have to take a foreign language exam, which for the entire 4 years I was there, every semester they had said they would accept and that I didn't have to take) and then hearing my dad on the phone say, "How much? I'm putting it in your account." –2002

Unexpectedly coming upon Anne Brontë’s grave with Jen while roaming around the Yorkshire Dales (it would have been even more sublime if it had been Charlotte’s grave—but I’m not complaining, much). –2000

Landing in Europe for the first time, granted it was only a layover in Brussels on the way to Africa, but still it was Europe and I was there. –1995

Singing, completely abandondly, with Jeni, Julie, and Karen, while Karen's parents played dulcimers. –2005

Being hopelessly lost on the streets of Venice—that’s seriously Magical! –2005

At a birthday party for a Hungarian friend, looking around, and realizing I was the only American among Hungarians, Nigerians, Cypriots, South Africans, and Australians. (kind of a sequel to the monopoly one. I absolutely love when tons of cultures all come together and form a new community!) –hmmm 2003, maybe

Meeting Alida, Jason, and Andi at the train station, as they passed through Budapest, to pass off a video and then being convinced (correction: dared!) by Alida and Andi to jump on the train (I was moneyless, phoneless, id-less), skip class the next day, and go back to Miskolc (2 hours away) to watch the Sting: Behind the Music tape Jason’s parents had just sent them. (It’s a very dangerous feeling [the next day-riding back] to be in a foreign land, where your ability to communicate is basically nil, riding a train without anything to help you should you miss your stop.) –hmmm, 2000 or 2001

Landing in Australia the first time and feeling that overwhelming sense of camaraderie from everyone I met. We were all on the same team, I didn't know what we were playing, life perhaps, but we were winning. –2005

Trying, with Julie, to read a Midsummer Night’s Dream with British accents by the River Avon in Stratford Upon Avon, laughing hysterically, and switching to southern accents. “Ill met by moonlight fair Titania.” “What, jealous Oberon?” –1995

At the opera house in Hungary watching a completely inexplicable opera by Wagner, while Jen “translated” the German for me. Oh did the other boxes cast us disapproving glances! It was the entrance of the dinosaur while the Klingons in big boots were belting out their song that really pushed things over the top. –1999, maybe

Standing at the rail of the boat with Katrina on the way from Athens to Kos as we prayed over our ouzo bottle containing our pact, and then tossing it out into the Agean Sea (not anywhere near enough of our pact has come to pass, but it was a marvelous moment). –2004

Hiking up to the top of that “mountain” in Norway with Katrina and Stian, and cooking out on the little grill Stian had lugged up there, while listening to the tinkling of the bells on the sheep that were even higher up. –2004

Going in the back door, and bypassing all the security, at Versailles with Alida and Ildi. (the memory of you guys flashing your entrance passes at the other tourist who was trying to get out is CLASSIC). –1998

Sitting outside in Newcastle with Katrina and Stian drinking mint tea from her tea set from Jordan and enjoying other Jordanian treats, and talking and talking. –2009

Sitting, exhausted, in the marble, chandelier decorated McDonalds in Budapest after bussing back from Romania, while Edo and Krisztina got our food. When they came, laughing, back to the table, I was so keenly aware of how much I loved my life at that moment. –2003

The way Krisztina would plop down on my bed, very late at night, as I would be trying to fall asleep, in spite of my constant insomnia, and say, “Wait, don’t go to sleep yet, we haven’t even chatted. What happened today?”

Belly lauging with Jen and Lídia in the tiny back portion of the school café that was semi smoke free.

Thirsty Thursdays with Rachel and Michelle.

Riding horses with my dad.

Taco Casa stops on the way to SawGrass.

The many delightful cups of coffee and pastries with Alida, Andi, Ildi, and Jen.

Hearing all the latest fascinating things Jen, Heather, and Katrina have discovered.

All the moments involving twinkly fairy lights.

All the glorious dance floor, backyard, lounge room dancing that has been danced around the world.

Being overwhelmed to the point of tears when I was little over how lucky I was to have such a great family. I couldn't figure out what I had done to deserve that from God.

Fifteen billion little, seemingly inconsequential moments when, surrounded by brilliant family-friends and/or brilliant scenery, I thought, “I’m really happy right now.”

This doesn’t even come close to all the great moments, which means, basically, I’ve been the luckiest girl to ever live. It’s good to remember that, because I may also be the most spoiled girl to ever live, meaning I often forget my luckiest girl status.

Geographically Challenged

Once upon a time I kept very tidy journals. I had a perfect pen in the perfect shade of blue black; sadly, one day, this pen ran out. Now this pen was from Hungary and I was in America, so I could not replace my perfect pen. And, as I could never write in my tidy journals with any ordinary blue or black pen, I was forced to move to make-shift notebooks and countless scraps of notebook paper. It was my hope that these mediums would serve merely as repository journals till I could obtain another perfect pen, upon which time I would transpose all my thoughts back to my tidy journal in my perfect shade of blue black ink. Well, that was almost 5 years ago and my perfect pen and I still haven't found each other.

So recently I decided to just move everything to my laptop. And that is how I came to discover how very hard it must be sometimes for my Mensa sister-in-law (holla Lori) to hang out with me and my brother, whom she loves dearly (you can read about them and my lovely niece Lucy here).

I remember the below exchanges quite well, but didn't realize they happened the same exact day or that they both had to do with mine and my brother's geographic prowess till I started gathering up my journal bits!

January 16, 2006

Morning
Lori and I went shopping and I was wearing a shirt that said Sri Lanka on it. I went into an Old Navy dressing room and had the following conversation.

Old Navy guy (looking at my shirt): I want to go there.
Leah: Yea, me too!
Old Navy guy: You wanna go? Let’s leave tonight.
Leah (delighted): Okay! Do you know how to get there?
Old Navy guy: We could figure it out.

I was completely enchanted by this conversation, which I felt was extremely clever and whimsical. I went and told it to Lori, who said:

Lori: Did you tell him you’ve been there?
Leah (shocked and slightly confused): I’ve never been there.
Lori: You haven’t?
Leah (bemused): No; it’s a mythical place; nobody’s been there.
Lori: Sri Lanka’s a real place!

Leah: .................................................
(light dawning): SHANGRI LA! …………

(rethinking conversation with Old Navy guy) Oh no!

pic of Sri Lanka, which looks pretty magical!

Night
Later that evening Bryan, Lori, and I were watching The Bachelor Paris. The bachelor was having a one on one date with one of the girls. He called her mom to find out what her favorite food was. It was Italian.

Bryan: That’s good considering where they are.
Lori: They’re not in Italy.
Bryan: Right…no…I know.
Lori: Bryan, where is Paris?
Bryan: Rome…?
Lori and Me (which in light of the above is somewhat laughable): WHAT?!
Bryan: No, no…I mean…
Lori: Bryan, WHERE is Paris?!
Bryan: Spain….??
Lori: BRYAN!
Bryan: No, no….
Lori: FRANCE! PARIS, FRANCE!
Bryan: I know that. I was just having brain freeze. I know it’s in France. “Oui” that’s French. “Bonjoir” that’s French. I know Paris is in France…………………………..I’m just foggy. I drank most of that wine by myself.

"Sacre bleu! What do they teach these kids in school?"