Tomorrow is the day!!

Hey all - this is my last posting before I leave for South America! We leave at 6:30am tomorrow for our 8:00am flight out of South Bend, flying from South Bend to Cincinnati, Cincinnati to Miami, Miami to Bogota, Columbia, then Bogota to Santiago, Chile.

Before I get on with the rest of this post, I first want to say best of luck to all SMC and ND students as they start the new academic year. Today was the first day of classes for SMC Chicks and tomorrow is the first day for Domers. Especially my SMC Chicks, I will think of you often and I wish you nothing but the best for a successful and memorable year - party and live it up! GO BELLES!

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day here. After visiting Sr. Mary Elizabeth, I spent the rest of the afternoon at St. Pat's Park here in South Bend. I couldn't resist taking a few photos as I laid in the grass, reading, journaling, and soaking up the sun.

My view as I laid in the grass...beautiful blue sky, warm sun, and a good book - what can be better!













I couldn't help but take a picture of this AWESOME jungle gym that I drove past while at St. Pat's Park...it is so huge and looks like a barn!













Funny story about my afternoon at St. Pat's: After reading for about 30 min. or so, I fell asleep...and woke up 2 1/2 hours later, just as the sun was starting to go down! The reason for me waking up: ants! I felt something on my foot, so I looked down and realized that my foot was off of the blanket and next to an ant hill - and they started crawling all over me! AH! It was kinda creepy...and I know the people around me were wondering what the hell I was doing when I suddenly woke up from my nap and started shaking my foot around. Haha, good times!

Natalie got back from Chicago later that evening and we bummed around for the rest of the night, eating popcorn and watching trashy American tv...i.e. The Teen Choice Awards. :-) Hey, it is something that we will not be able to experience for the next 2 1/2 years, so why not?? Haha, good times as well!

Today I got my Yellow Fever, Typhoid, and Tetanus travel vaccinations...and boy does my arm hurt! The tetanus is really killing me right now. I also drove to O'Hare Airport and dropped off Matt and Clay, who are going to Uganda, Africa for the next year and a half. For those who read my blog often, you know that they are recent ND graduates who participated in "cultural immersion training" with me and the other Chile associates for the last 2 weeks. It was great getting to know them and was sad to see them go - I wish you both the best of luck guys, please keep in touch!

After returning from my four hour drive to and from Chicago, Natalie, Steve, Mark, and I went to the famous CJ's Burgers for dinner....good ol' American food one last time!! The burgers were great and I can definitely see why everyone says that you have to eat there at least once in your four years in the Bend (well, I am a little late...but whatev.) Again, I couldn't resist taking a picture of us at the restaurant:

Me, Steve, Natalie, and Mark













Natalie and I topped off our last night in America just right: a trip to Wal-Mart complete with one last trip to Ritter's Custard. Again, for those who read my blog often, you will know that this is the second time in a week and a half that we have made a visit to Ritter's...but we are living it up as Americans do! The custard was good as always...here are a few pics that I took - notice the cherries on top of my Grizzly Cub Sundae!

Natalie and me













Natalie and her dessert - look, it doesn't fall out when you tip it over! It must be custard!!



















Look at all those cherries!!! Mmm...mmm! (I think I am a little too proud of this, what do you think??)



















Alright, that is about it! I am off to finish packing and get ready for my "new life." I appreciate everyone's support, enthusiasm, and love as I partake on this new adventure. As corny as it sounds, I do not believe that I would have ever felt so comfortable and ready to take this journey if I did not have the love and support of my family and friends. Thank you - I will love and miss you all.

The best way to conclude this posting is to look to the future, examining my expectations in anticipation for what is ahead. Lucky for us, we can do this via a worksheet I filled out last week during training! (In no particular order):

a. What are the five things that you are most looking forward to about going abroad?
1. language training/language fluency
2. experiencing a new culture
3. meeting new people
4. changing my world perspective
5. doing/experiencing things that only this opportunity in South America can provide me

b. What are the five things that currently worry you most about going overseas?
1. saftey
2. homesickness/health of family
3. Loneliness
4. Frustrations in communication with others through a foreign language
5. not getting back into the country (for whatever reason - who knows!!)

c. What are five things you believe you will miss most from home when you are abroad?
1. mama's cookin' :-)
2. friends and family
3. life moments/milestones for family and friends
4. deep conversations with people in a language I understand
5. being involved/being a leader in my community

d. What are three things (people, places, activities, etc.) you believe you will miss least from home when you are abroad?
1. gluttony of America/processed foods
2. materialism and consumerism
3. America's obsession with celebrities

Hope this gave you a little insight into what I am thinking/feeling at the moment as I partake on this new journey. Thank you again everyone for your support and I hope to be able to write/talk to you soon. Love ~ M