So. Less than a day and a half until my international adventure truly begins. It's been several months in the making- years, really- but I think that it really starts with my first flight on Tuesday morning.
That doesn't leave me much time to pack, but I've been trying to get organized for the last few weeks. IES has provided us with a recommended packing list, which I dutifully printed and reviewed, and promptly dismissed as four pages of crap. Find me the girl who only needs five pairs of shoes. [For the record, the shoes IES recommends are a pair of dress shoes, a pair of 'VERY comfortable and broken-in walking/hiking shoes,' 'casual shoes/loafers,' slippers, and flip-flops. I was thinking more along the lines of two or three pairs of flats, my kickin' new Pumas, two pairs of flip-flops, some boots, and my tennies (which may have to double as softball cleats?). I haven't even thought about dress shoes yet.
And what is a sleep sheet? I guess I need to find one so I don't catch something in a hostel bed. Yum, makes me want to stay in a hostel just that much more.
On a more positive note-
My first flight, from KC to the ATL, is momentous not only because it is the first leg of my journey, but also because when I get on that plane, I will finally be able to see the pictures that my fantastic coworkers took for me at the Y!
[To explain and hopefully make a long story short: last summer when my camera was broken I bought a couple of disposable cameras but then when I was house-sitting for my aunt and uncle I left one under the seat of their car which they let me borrow and I was all bummed out until I house-sat for them again this summer and checked under the seat and then there it was but now my digital camera works so I really didn't need the disposable so I thought what the heck and gave it to my cohort, the Resuscitator, to use and surprise me. I'm not sure that really made the story that much shorter but now you are back in the loop.]
So from what I heard, Alison and everyone else really went all out, and needless to say, I am ridiculously excited to see these pics!
It would be beyond easy to fill you in on my whole life story here, but I can hear those empty suitcases calling my name. And as much as I joke about not wanting to go to Madrid [a friend described my emotions best when he asked me, "Are you excited-scared?"] I will feel pretty silly if I miss my flight because I didn't finish packing.
Oh and by the way, tomorrow is probably the last day I will be at Jewell for, you know, four months. So if any of you want to see me, it's probably your only shot.
