How is it that you know this person?

When telling people about my upcoming trip across the pond, I received many a confused inquiry as to how I knew my travel companion.

I could almost say that Jessi and I were perfect strangers.

But that wouldn't be all that true.

She and I are so similar that it is almost like we knew each other without knowing each other at all.

So, let me back track a little.

A trip to England has been in the making for the past 3 years that Rachael has lived there. First, the problem was money. Then once I had the money, I used it to go to Israel. Ooops. Then once I had it again, I had no one to travel with. In August I mostly randomly emailed Jessi, a mild acquaintance at the time, to see if she would like to join me on a trip. She also works for a camp and has a squirrely schedule and seemed to me to be up for adventures.

97% of me expected a 'no, but thanks for asking'. But instead I got a 'yeah, let me check my schedule, I was wanting to take a trip that time of year too', Yikes, it was becoming real.

After checking some things, we committed to an international trip together. With having only met in person a few times and otherwise only having a relationship via facebook stalking and a mutual friend that would tell us how similar we were it seemed the trip could go splendidly or terribly. I think both leaned toward splendidly.

So how did I know this person I committed to travel across an ocean with?

Back when I was AmeriCorps in Raleigh, we would get to learn about the new crew that was coming in after us as they were being interviewed and hired. When I was finishing my second term, I was told there would be a 'new' Hannah to follow my leaving in the fall.

This girl also went to a small Christian college, was from the Midwest, loves baseball and also majored in camp management. Small world. As it turned out we were as similar if not more as she got to know the Habitat staff and worked through her year. It took her about 6 months to earn her own name as the staff and others that new me stuck to calling her 'new Hannah'.

Other than the sporadic trip to Maine and staying with her over night, we had spent maybe a total of one hour together pre-trip.

Thus, the making a great travel buddy :)

Apparently this is something that so called normal people wouldn't do, but it turns out we aren't all that normal.

I really couldn't have picked a better almost stranger to travel with.

Neither of us were late night out on the town types. We both liked a little peace and quiet from time to time. We were both ok to just see the sites rather than spending an exorbitant amount of time and money on things that we could later read about if we so desired.

One evening we had the hostel room all to ourselves and we couldn't have been happier to have that small piece of personal space and to just hang out in the poorly lit aquarium themed room.

That same evening, after a few hours of corporate solitude, we decided to go see a film rather than hit up any pubs.

All plans and suggestions were well received by each other. It was sort of like traveling with myself.

And most importantly, she fit in just fine with my dear friends. And an added bonus baby Ava took to her very quickly.

So as for traveling with almost strangers, I would say that I recommend it.  It could be disastrous, but that would lead to good stories. It could be fantastic and lead to a new friend!