one week til take off.

Welcome to my blog. I hope to be updating this frequently with thoughts and stories relating to the adventure of a lifetime I am about to have. Feel free to comment with your own thoughts or questions. I hope to share as much of my trip with my family and friends as I can through this site, email, and Skype. I also hope that they, and probably you if you're reading this right now, enjoy following me through my experiences in South America.

The people closest to me know that the biggest regret I have in life is that I did not study abroad in college. Reasons aside, I just didn't do it. I knew then and still know now that I should have, but I didn't and that's that. About seven months ago, I completed an intensive program at the Wisconsin English as a Second Language Institute and received a certificate that gives me credentials to get an English teaching job pretty much anywhere in the world. I had been volunteering as an ESL tutor when I decided to do the program, thinking that teaching English abroad for at least a year could be a chance for me to, in a way, get the sort of study abroad experience I was never able to have in college. I love teaching English. It's exciting, satisfying, and frustrating at the same time. In my case, it only makes sense that I go to a Spanish-speaking country so that along with accomplishing my goal of teaching English professionally, I will have the opportunity to speak Spanish and experience a part of the continent whose history, culture, and geography I studied for four years at the University of Wisconsin. With this plan in mind, I moved back home last August and after a few weeks of passively looking for teaching jobs online while working a full time temp job here, I found one. In Ecuador.

It is still hard for me to grasp that in one week, I will be on my way there. I am flying out of Milwaukee at 7:00 AM on Tuesday, February 2, to Atlanta, then Miami, and landing in Quito sometime in the evening. Then on Wednesday morning I have to catch a plan to Loja, the city where I will be teaching English for one year. As excited as I am, the more I think about it, the more hesitant/nervous, I become. There's no backing out now. I was injected with all the vaccines I need, purchases the plane tickets online, and now have my suitcases sitting out ready to be stuffed full of a years worth of belongings.The longest and only time I've been out of the country was the two week trip I took to visit a friend in Tijuana, Mexico. Baja California isn't exactly in a different hemisphere or anything realizing that the city is a half hour from San Diego, but that trip was a huge deal for me at the time. It was a great experience, but by the end of the two weeks I was mentally exhausted and ready to return home. I know that the journey I am about to embark on will be the biggest thing I have ever done so I cannot help but feel a little nervousness along with all of the excitement.

Last night I had trouble sleeping. I went shopping with my mom yesterday to stock up on miscellaneous small items that I need to bring with me that may not be easily available in Ecuador. Unfortunately at some point in the store, the list I compiled of things I have to buy fell out of the cart and I couldn't find it even after retracing my steps... so now I have to try to think of what else was on that list. That's what I get for trying to be organized and proactive. I also printed about 50 pictures of my family and best friends at a Kodak kiosk to bring with me to hang on the walls of my bedroom. In my last week in the States, I vow to watch as much American TV as possible, because honestly, I know I will miss it A LOT.

Finally, who knew cats love luggage so much? Surely to them a carry on suitcase is just another place to make a den. Too bad I can't bring them with me or even let them know that I'm leaving for a year and won't be around to play with them or let them sleep in my bed. Here's to hoping Indy and Jax remember me when I return.