I leave next Saturday!

I have officially left Boston and am headed home for a week in order to pack and tie-up lose ends before my flight on Saturday. It's a bit crazy to think that in less than a week, I'll be away for 2+ months in a reasonably unfamiliar environment, doing seemingly incredible things. Sometimes my life amazes even me...

I still don't know whether to be fully excited, terrified, nervous, or enthused. More so, I'm just feeling everything at once! I want these next 2 months to fly by but also last forever, you know? I already miss people, and I haven't even really left yet. But at the same time, I'm pretty positive that I'm going to want to never leave once I settle in to the lifestyle down there. It's always been strange how contradicting my thoughts and desires can be, and I'm guessing that a trip/life experience this big should be expected to cause a plethora of miss-matched feelings. They just sort of come with the territory.

And so it goes, I guess. This week I need to go make some major trips to Costco and stock-up on trail mix, motion-sickness meds, wool socks, lactaid, sun screen, bug spray, and all kinds of other good products that are not available/cost effective to buy once I leave. Then I have to somehow pack all my paraphernalia into a single duffel bag and back pack, meanwhile remembering to leave room for anything I choose to acquire and bring back to the states. The probability of my defying the laws of physics and space during this packing endeavor? High.

Additionally, I literally have 6 doctors appointments, a 21st birthday to celebrate, countless visits with friends I've neglected since Christmas/Spring Break, and innumerable school-related ends to tie-up (emails to grad schools, GRE prep, book buying, internship applications, etc.) all this week. Busy, busy, busy! I have to keep reminding myself that I chose this ridiculous timeline in which to prepare; so it's really only myself I have to blame when I get stressed out. In a week though, it will all pay-off as I get to give Franklin* and his siblings big "hello" hugs and wander around the Andes at sun set. It will totally be worth it in the end.


*Franklin is the project "mascot" aka Sam's god son and offspring of the project's head cook. He's ridiculously cute, a known trouble maker, and calls me "Gatto" (not "Gatta" like he should) because he knows it annoys me. Essentially, he's the adopted little brother of the project and one of many reasons I'm looking forward to going back.