Almost there!

Tomorrow, February 7th, will be the two week mark until departure. That is 16 days from now. Oh the excitement is luring through my body! I just want to be there! I want to learn, travel, and meet new people. Everyone has been telling me "This will be a great opportunity in your life", "I am so excited for you, you wil have a great time"

Yes, I hope so. However, I am currently in the "waiting stage" and it doesn't seem real. Today I received an insurance card from CIEE (yay for being insured!) so I guess that is a step towards reality. I still have bunches to do:

1. Warn my bank so they are not bamboozled by the notion of money being withdrawn in a different continent.
2. Get my computer checked so the kinks are smoothed out.... I would prefer not to have my computer crash and be overwhelemed by language change.
3. WALKING SHOES... right now they do not exist. Any ideas of what kind would be great? help?
4. Packing..... My normal proto call would be to start packing at 11 pm but not for this trip. Usually I always forget one thing... not this time!!
5. Necesito practicar Español.


There is probably more.....

About two weekends ago, I was priviliged to have some time in Holland, MI to spend time with some great friends! But before I go on to tell how wonderful they are, let me tell you about the ride up there. I took the amtrak to Holland to avoid any unwanted snow and accidents in my car. Fun fact, you meet some interesting people on the train..... For starters, I was sitting in the amtrak lobby waiting for train 377 to Grand Rapids (Holland is a stop on this route) when an elderly couple were looking for two seats by each other (cute!). There was an open seat on either side of me so I offered to move over one so they could be together. I got the choir of "bless your heart", "How kind of you " but then I got a weird comment from the elderly man.... "You must be a democrat" Really? That is the comment you come up with? "You must be a democrat" Taken off guard I responded with a polite "I beg your pardon?" His wife elbows me and says "That is his way of saying you must be a nice person". Interesting.. I really do not have a favored side. I have agreements and disagreements with both sides but I just smiled and said "You are too kind, thanks". However, when I moved over I then was sitting next to a returning solider who seemed friendly from the start (just a year older than I) but then started talking of the war.....uh oh... I decided to keep my mouth shut that I was a pacifist and I would rather "hug it out" then "blow 'em up". He began telling me this sadistic stories and laughing about it. I feel for him because he has seen such violence at a young age but at the same time my mind is saying "holy smokes he is insane". I tried to shut that voice out and pray for his soul. It was just ironic that he would talk about the war in that light and I was reading Shane Claibornes "The Irresitable Revolution" which is all about love and finding this war terrible for the families in the USA and the families in the Middle East. Thankfully, I got on my train and had a wonderful conversation with this elderly man who told me that his wife was an Art professor at Hope and he knew the whole dance department! Crazy, how you meet these people. We talked for two hours before he had to get off at the St. Joe stop. God works in mysterious ways.

My friends were so sweet and welcoming. So much love at the beautiful Hope College. It was weird feeling like a visitor at a place where I have called home for 5 semesters. It was weird to not be on meal plan or have my cupboard of food when spending money did not seem appealing. Also having my id work no where, not knowing the new code to "the cabin" and not having homework or studying to do. That will change when my friends are off for the summer and I am studying still (but to be honest, my whole study abroad is like a 5 month vacation anyways).

I am so thankful for the beautiful people in Holland, Naperville and of course Chicago.


Two weeks. 18 days. 432 hours. 25,920 minutes. (But really whose counting)

Chau