3 Days

Today I did most of my packing and it was terribly stressful at first. I started off with toiletries (which was a bad idea) so there were about 20,000 things I needed to pack and I was terrified that I was going to forget something essential. But in the end I think I packed everything that I absolutely need and mommy dearest reassured me with the reminder that I can buy anything I forget while I'm down there. But lets be honest, there was definitely one thing I was not going to take a chance on: Qtips. I live and breathe by those things so I packed an entire box! But other than that I was pretty impressed with my restraint and willingness to leave behind a few things that I would normally bring with me. So yes, Stine and Elise, my bedtime rituals will be cut in half (so we will see whether or not I end up looking like a man without them). And then I moved onto my clothes...

I thought this was going to be quite difficult to narrow down but I ended up (without struggle) putting back some of the clothes that I had planned on taking. If Chileans can wear the same outfit twice in one week for months on end then so can I! Take that American materialism!! But lets be honest, I still have quite a few clothes...enough to fill a suitcase and a backpacking pack.

So thats that. Most of my things are ready to go. So tomorrow is pedicures with my mom, dinner with the Koch's and then heading to Chicago at 1:15 am on the bus so we can make it in time for my appointment. Things are coming to a close quickly here in The States but I couldn't be happier to leave!

My Family!!

I just found out about my family! There is a mom, an extended family member (I'm guessing a nephew?) who is 24 and a student at the university, and her daughter and her husband and their baby who will visit on weekends. I'm hoping that the 24 year "nephew" will be like a big brother for me while I'm there, it would be nice to have someone looking out for me and protecting me. So I will be living with mom and big brother in an apartment building that is in the residential area of Vina del Mar. It also says I have a view of the ocean from the apartment but I'm not sure how far away I will be from the ocean on foot. I'm just glad that I can see the ocean all the time. I hope my family is chill and forgiving of my lack of Spanish skills. But other than the language barrier and food I'm not scared of too much else. The family bio said they are an active family and like to bike so hopefully I'll be allowed to borrow the bike to cruise around town. I'm just sooooo excited!!!

10 days!

2 Months 12 Days

I will be leaving for Chile. I'm so excited that I already have 2 different outfit options for my travel day. It's so pathetic but this is how I use my free time, I dream and dream and dream....

Anxious

Visa

This visa application process is going to be the death of me. In one day I have gone from shock, after looking at the visa requirements, to stress, from trying to figure out what the heck to do, to road rage while driving in Englewood to try to get my fingerprints taken, to game face, while getting the rest of my things together for my background check, to completely exhausted while trying to write out my actual visa application. Who knew that all of this could be so frustrating?! I am just incredibly thankful that we live in a democracy with (what they say is) minimal governmental interference. If I lived in a socialist country I would move the heck out of dodge the second I turned 18. I never want to deal with another slow moving, unappreciative, and dowdy government employee again. But alas, I'm only 20 and the paperwork and employees have only just begun. But I suppose it is far better to have to deal with the disgruntled and unmotivated government workers than to be one myself. So in other words, I should be thankful to be completing this process in the US rather than anywhere else, seeing as their process would only be more agonizing. I am so blesses to have been born in the greatest country in the world. And even more blessed to be leaving it for a 5 month adventure in CHILE!!!

3 MONTHS!!!!

Things To Come

     As I discuss next year with my current roommates I'm beginning to get nervous about coming back to CCU in the spring. It's going to be strange coming back to a place that has been my home for 2 years but not being familiar with anything that is happening there. I'd say that its like coming back home a few times a year but let's face it, nothing at home changes, whereas things at CCU change like crazy because this is the time in life that people grow the most. I'm worried that I'm going to come back to completely different friends. But let's be honest, I'm hoping to be changed a TON by this trip. 
     The more I write about this the more I realize how selfish I am. I'm the one thats leaving them, I can't complain if things change while I'm gone. I'm still going to be jealous of all the new friendships that people have started though (I think thats a fair thing to be jealous of). 
    Anyways, I'm really excited to go, a little nervous to come back, and anxious to see how God is going to continue to break and re-mold me. 
                     3 months and 5 days left