I’ll be taking a work trip to a place called Sheffield in September. It’ll be my first time travelling across an ocean, first time on a different continent, first time in Europe, first time in the UK, first time in Sheffield (and Edinburgh, and Paris for a bit). I always mark first times. The first time often leaves the biggest impression, the most vivid memories.
My first time in Alaska, I almost blew out a tire. It was summer and the light never disappeared from the sky. I found a car shop near Denali where the guy only charged me $20 to swap out the bad tire (”tell them they shouldn’t leave winter tires on during the summer,” he said). I saw a moose for the first time, too. It was a huge animal.
My first time flying east of the Rockies, my first time in and around Chicago, my heart was shattered in an immeasurable but predictable fashion (not for the first time). I get a lump in my throat just mentioning it so I’m stopping here.
My first time in Canada, I ate poutine for the first time, because of course, and wandered into Whistler for the first time. I think most people wouldn’t just wander from Vancouver to Whistler, but there I was. It was the first time that I drove my car onto a ferry, which took us across to Vancouver island. It was my first time driving on an island.
My first time in Mexico, I was four? But I do remember my first time listening to “Knockin’ Boots” by Candyman some years later, which was in my uncle Miguel’s little red pickup truck while he drove down some stone-paved street, and between the bumpy road and and the sound system it was the first time it felt like a car would fall apart while I was in it. I remember my first road trip from California to Texas to Jalisco. It was my first time seeing border officers blatantly ask for a bribe to allow us through checkpoints.
My first time here, posting these things, I was here in the bay area, then it was my first time in Oregon and Washington while I posted more things, then it was my first time (but not last) returning to a place where I’ve already been, except it was nothing at all like the first time, and I’m glad it wasn’t.