One Last Note

By the time the (predicted) snow arrives in Raleigh tomorrow morning, I will be in the hot, tropical Amazon rainforest in Bolivia.

Okay, I will actually be in La Paz (which is in the mountains), but the tropical rainforest made a better contrast with the snow. Still, it will still be summer in Bolivia and there definitely will not be snow in La Paz!

My plane leaves in a few hours and I am almost (kinda, maybe...) all packed. So far, the nerves/excitement/fear hasn't set in. Those emotions come from the travel preparations like flight details, emergency contacts, visa materials, and all those practical things you take care of that make you FEEL like you are really responsible for going somewhere. This whole group-travel thing has stripped me from those preparations, because the program has done it all for me. They even mailed me a little card to carry with me in the Miami airport so that I dont get lost...seriously!
I am also not nervous because I dont really feel like I will be gone for that long. Last summer, I would have guessed that three months away from my friends and my home would have felt like forever, but not anymore. Im leaving today and I feel like I'll be back next week! I guess this made packing easier, because I kept telling myself "No, dont packed the extra bottle. Its only three months. Its OKAY if you run out of soap..."


Dont get me wrong, just because Im not nervous doesnt mean Im not happy to go! I can't wait to meet the other nine students in my group, and I cant wait to step off the plane tomorrow morning in the highest capital city in the world. The Andes mountains are calling my name, and I cant wait to see the Amazon, either.


I should probably stop procrastinating and finish packing (I swear, Im ALMOST done) and clean up the landfill in my room (yes, its time to pick up those Nepal photographs and store away the Saree...). Then Im going to enjoy one last bowl of gluten-free cereal and non-dairy milk-a 'last supper' if you will- before I head off to a land of new, and probably non-vegetarian, food.


My next post will be in Bolivia! And although Im not sure how often I'll be able to update this blog, I should have computer access at least once a week. I know this because we are required to email our parents weekly, although I dont know if these emails will be sent before or after our full-body tattoo/piercing searches and our drug- and alcohol-tests. Needless to say, I will be safe and you WILL hear from me.

Until then...chao!