DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – Amazing.
I was able to fit all my clothes for both summer and winter into one bag.
Wool scarf right next to UV-ray blocking sunglasses.
I think I deserve an award for packing light.
GOODBYE AMERICA
I’ve been in the U.S. since December.
It was a nice visit.
But now the Christmas decorations are back in their boxes.
And it’s time for me to return to my life in Prague.
A SURPRISE AT THE AIRPORT
One good thing about travelling in The Time of Covid is no lines.
Right up to the front of the British Airways counter I went.
“May I see your passport, please?”
“Yes, here you are.”
“May I ask what your final destination is?”
“It’s Prague.”
“Have you packed all your bags yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Have you been to any other countries in the last 14 days?”
“Nope.”
“And may I see your covid test results.”
Uh oh.
THE FEAR
It’s easy to forget something you don’t know you need.
It’s even harder to pack it.
Iveta at the check-in desk told me not to feel bad: The rules change almost daily, she told me.
As I walked back to the parking garage I had more time to examine the other travelers.
There were men with masks.
There were women with double masks.
And there were men and women with double masks and face shields.
From what I’ve seen, there’s more fear here in the US than in Europe.
Hiking in the Shenandoah National Forest near our farm in Virginia, people are quick to step off the path and into the mud to get out of my way.
Whereas in the Tesco’s in Prague, they squeeze past me to get to the food faster.
YOUR CURE FOR THE FEAR
I’m not a big fan of irrational fear.
What’s that mean?
Well, let’s say you’re home alone and the man on the news says a psycho killer just escaped from your local prison and then you hear someone trying to start a chainsaw outside…
Then it’s ok to be afraid; that’s rational fear.
But let’s say a tourist walks up to you in your hometown and wants to know where the nearest metro station is.
if you feel fear then, that’s irrational.
Because unlike viruses from China and psycho killers with chainsaws, languages from England have a 100% survival rate.
In other words, relax, English won’t kill you.
In fact, it should be fun to speak.
And guess what, if you’re having fun you’ll speak better.
A relaxed speaker is a better speaker.