Yesterday, I said good-bye to my sister as she crossed the TSA security gate at the Columbus airport and jetted off to England. I was feeling a disarray of mixed emotions as I saw her put all her belongings in those ridiculous plastic bins and walk through the security scanner. Fear that something may go wrong during her travels; excitement for my own travels in 9 DAYS, gratitude that both of us were given these study abroad experiences, and a hint of loneliness. Out of the 21 years my dear twin and I have lived, our travels will be the longest we have been apart without actual face-to-face contact. If my crappy math is correct, adding up the time she’s gone, the time I’m gone, the 10 days I’m here at home before I leave, and the week after she returns adds up to about six weeks. It may not seem like a long time for most, but for someone like me…not going to lie, it’s a long time.
Many people have told me “well it’s about dang time you two split up for a while!” And yes, I wholeheartedly am a firm believer that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But I guess that’s one of the many joys of being a twin; she and I will have endless stories and experiences to share with each other once we are reunited face-to-face at the beginning of August. I mean SERIOUSLY, we will probably never run out of things to share with each other, or we’ll see or hear something and one of us will be like “oh my GAWSH, I have to tell you this abroad story now.”
Then there’s the flip side of being a twin, which is where the hint of loneliness came in. I thank God that my sister and I have been very close to each other. Whether or not that’s an identical twin thing or not I’m not so sure, but I think that’s beside the point. My dad told me last night that I had it made my whole life; I was never alone. I always had someone to talk to, play with, or to irritate when I was in the mood to do so. That’s just another endless joy of being a twin; a twin fills your heart in a way that no one else does. They are always the one person that “gets you” when nobody else does and always understands what you’re trying to say even if it doesn’t make sense to them. Trust me; I’ve been there countless times. But I have been so fortunate to grow up the way I did, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I am excited and overjoyed that right now my partner in crime is 5 hours away, across the pond probably having the time of her life and taking advantage of this incredible opportunity.
So you all are probably wondering where this leaves me and what this has to do with my impending Scotland travels. Well, it actually does in a way. Again, my dad told me this the night before Holly left. He said that during our travels to maybe forget about being a twin. I was a bit offended at first, thinking…well dear old dad, I just can’t forget about my sister. But then it hit me; I don’t think it was his intention to say to do just that. But I will be using my abroad opportunity to maybe find out something about myself that even my sister won’t know about. I guess that will be the fun thing about this trip; while I’m in Scotland I won’t be “the Korb twin” or just another person; I am just me. I know nobody but myself and God. But I know me. I know what I like, dislike, and I know what I would be willing to try. The countdown; 9 days. And as for my sister, it was never goodbye, rather a “see you soon” when I hop across the pond as well. J
