Soon to be Titled (Part 2)

Since I have been home from Europe I have decided I would want a wardrobe much like in The Chronicles of Narnia to guide me back to Europe whenever I pleased. It is far too expensive to merely fly there wherever I want. But this brings up an interesting observation, one of distance and space.

I did not like how quickly I traveled home. It took me about 7 hours to fly back into the States from Heathrow Airport and then a hour and a half home to Indianapolis. Due to the perfect nature of my life and stay in England I felt that I should have been on a long pilgrimage home. But within 10 hours I left a home and returned to another on the other side of the world. I did not like this feeling.

This quick transition made me aware of something though. My idea of self in space and time tore. There became two thoughts of me, two of me. One Jeffrey that lived in the States, and one who lived in Europe. My life abroad was the first experience to create this conscious parallel universe.

What I mean by this parallel universe is that I can imagine a second me in Europe now. He is almost like a ghost. A faint spirit but very much real. This second Jeffrey is living a life if I was to stay, if I was to actually live a life in Europe now. This idea of this parallel me is the only way that I can convey how hard it is for me to just be in the USA and also to tell people about my trip. For it was not a trip, but I lived in Europe and still do to this day.

Canterbury was and is one of my homes. I was not a tourist in London nor Paris, these were second cities, second homes to me. I have dear friends in Germany, Switzerland and Italy. What my point is that I could live there so easily. I can imagine and feel myself living there vividly. This is why it was hard saying goodbye, but also hard transitioning back to the USA.

All this being said, I will return to Europe as soon as I can. Like I have told all my friends there… it will be in a couple years.

And this is the reality. I live in the USA. This is why I want a magical wardrobe... so I can pop into Europe and pop back into the States. But this also brings to focus my contentment with being here. I am glad to be back. Though I miss Europe dearly and I have a part of me floating about over there, I am glad to be here. But this thought comes and is found in tension.

I now want to address my European companions... or bitches...

Dear dear companions,

Though there is this ghost of me around you all. You all are in America though you may be unaware of it. For I speak of you often and think of you even more. Thank you for the love and friendship you have given me. Thank you for the pubs and the pints. Thank you for your visions and re-visions before and after a cup of tea. Thank you for being you. Now let's attempt to unfuck the world.

Live. Laugh. Love.

Your Jeffrey, Jeff, Indiana and/or America

Soon to be Titled

Some have noticed that this post is the first post in a long time. I am now State side and have yet to reflect on my year abroad in Canterbury, England.

Since being home I have been attempting to put in words a blog post that would best articulate my experience. I have not found the collection of words to do so until now. And even now, my words fall short though they pursue presentation.

I now understand and appreciate why authors choose to write fiction.

This statement might seem a bit odd given the content of this blog. Well, it is odd, but I have begun to understand through my journey and life overseas that a fictional story would present a truer reality and a more accurate essence of my experience. There would be no other way to convey the countless pub-crawls, rappers, French dinners, lectures, Switzerland trains, bottles of wine, McDonald adventures, Parisian nights, Clowes parties, tea times and the deep companionships I have had in England and Europe without creating, without writing a fictional tale, let alone an epic.

This may seem a bit much but I believe it to be true. I have been reading The Chronicles of Narnia amongst other books and have felt a kindred link to the author of these stories. Though these books are considered fiction for the sake of categorizing them, I believe C.S. Lewis and I have been in the same boat before, that is we have found the purpose of fiction to articulate the real. If I ever attempt to communicate this year abroad, I will have to write an epic. For now, I have been telling the people who ask that my experience was perfect.

I have travelled to the lands of Narnia, to the white city of Minus Tirith, the parallel universes of His Dark Materials and to the classrooms of Hogwarts…

How was my time? How was my journey?

My time was perfect. A dream. Simply magical. A life I would like living again. I could see me living there now.