Before I leave the house and head to the airport, I say goodbye to my one true companion: my seven-year-old pug Iris. I give her a big kiss on the cheek and squeeze her until she makes a huffy sound. “I love you, Iris,” I say to her. “You be a good girl.” Then, I give her a treat and, while she chews it, I walk out of sight. I will not be seeing her for a few months, but the reality doesn’t set in until I’m on the plane.

My friends tell me she whines the first few days, wondering where I am, and then she settles into life without me. My substitute for Iris is a plush gray neck pillow that I have brought with me on all my travels for the past five years. I sleep with my substitute and it provides me enough comfort to sustain me for the length of my trip.

Though there can be no real substitute for Iris, as a traveler, I am required to leave her behind — along with many other things. Despite missing these things, there is a profound cleansing that every traveler experiences. The value of an item is measured by its weight, size, and usefulness. The sorting between what will be brought or not quickly informs you of just how little a human really needs to survive life abroad. Read More »