November 1, 2015 – Finland, Minnesota

I hate saying goodbye.

So much so that I completely avoid it when I can. Hence, here I am at 8:17am waking up and moving on to my next location without saying goodbye to the naturalists. Without saying goodbye to Sarah.

Yesterday was a blast. The “nats” invited me to a rock climbing session at the environmental learning center, which was followed by attending a “Haunted Hotel” for local kids. A few of the girls (Sarah and two others) were asked to oversee a coloring station and extended the invitation my way.

How could I say no?

After many a bat-mask was colored, we left the hotel and prepared for the evening’s main event: the prestigious Finland Halloween party. My costume was simple, cheap, and colorful – a “True American.” White nursing pants, red McDonald’s shirt, blue cloth cape, plastic American-flag-style top hat, an empty tin can labeled “lard” with a freshly-carved wooden spoon, and the piece de resistance – a mini statue of a bald eagle, strapped down and positioned on top of my shoulder.

‘Murica.

But Nick, wouldn’t that hinder your beer pong game? Well, maybe. But it certainly didn’t stop Sarah and I from mopping the floor with the competition. Which was only a personal highlight. Everything else was great – the wonderful people and their amazing costumes, great food, contests, games… the perfect party. I didn’t want it to end.

And apparently, she didn’t either. When we got back, Sarah asked if I wanted to watch a movie on her laptop. What do I look like, a stupid American? We decided on “The Addams Family.” How appropriate. So there we were, basically cuddled up next to each other on the couch, watching a movie. The perfect end to the night.

But could it be better? Should I take the risk going in for a kiss, or completely avoid damaging a healthy and very welcome friendship? She’s given me no real signal other than being a super nice friend. And she knows what my “plan” is. I’ll be thirty miles away for the next five months… but then it’s on to the next state. Why would she want to get involved? Potentially regrettably, I decide on the latter course of action. I say goodnight after the movie, knowing that it may be the last time I see her.

Nomad world problems.

“Unless one says goodbye to what one loves, and unless one travels to completely new territories, one can expect merely a long wearing away of oneself and an eventual extinction.” – Jean Dubuffet