Take A Break From All I Know

I leave a week from today! Lately, I feel like I’ve been walking around like a chicken with its head cut off. There have been numerous appointments, trips to Target, errands to run, and meals with friends. Plus, I still have a 10 page paper to write for grad school, my last paper ever! But still, it needs to get done. In fact, I should be writing it now instead of blogging, but procrastination is my specialty.

This week I got the name and address of my host family. That’s literally all it is right now, a name and address on a piece of paper. It really won’t mean much until I actually get there. I also got a list of Spanish vocab to learn and a teaching guide. But getting all this info really made the trip seem real to me.

With this trip quickly approaching, there are so many things I am excited about. I’ve been reading my guidebook nonstop (again while I should be writing my paper). I’ve made a list of places I want to see and things I want to do. Not sure I’ll be able to do it all, but I definitely want to take advantage of all the time I have there and make the most of it.

Of course, excitement is not my only emotion. I’m also pretty nervous, which I think is normal. There are so many unknowns. When I’ve been asked questions about the trip I usually end up saying “I’ll see when I get there.” Here are a few things I’m a little nervous about...

-How well and how quickly will I pick up this language that I haven’t studied since high school?

-What will teaching indigenous children who don’t speak my language be like?

-Will the food in my house be edible?

-Will I be homesick?

-How is this very directionally challenged girl ever going to find her way around?

-Will I actually be up to the adventurous things I want to do like climbing volcanoes, kayaking, and zip lining?

Again, I’ll see when I get there. It might be all unknown, but that’s also what makes it exciting. It will definitely be a change from what I’m used to.

This upcoming week is bound to be super busy, so my next post will most likely be from Guatemala! I can’t wait!

Love,

Julie

“To The Light” –Newton Faulkner