The Adventure Begins

NOTE: This post was actually created Monday, 2/4. But I haven't been able to get connected to the internet to post it until now (gotta love the South American system!)

Well, it’s a done deal. I am officially unemployed for the first time since the age of 16 (insert audible gulp here). No doubt I have yet to fully grasp this fact. Right now it just feels like I’m going on vacation but I’m sure the full impact will be felt in the relatively near future. Most likely when I come home to 2 months of bills and realize that, oh, wait, I have no income.

Ah, well. Pleeeenty of time to worry about such things. For now I am at the airport waiting for my adventure to truly begin. I was just on the phone with someone who asked me if I was excited and I’ve realized that my excitement has temporarily been overtaken by my disdain for flying. But that’s what Xanax is for. No doubt the second I hit the ground in Santiago, the nausea will be overtaken by the excitement over being warm again!

My last weekend at home was crazy busy but lots of fun. It started with a Latin-fest farewell party at work (oops, I mean my former employer… have to get used to saying that!). I was festooned in a Bolivian poncho and a sombrero and we ate lots of Puerto Rican food and had mariachi music playing. I’m still not convinced that Keith knows I’m not actually going to Mexico, but it was very nice and lots of fun. I will definitely miss the people that I worked with there. It was truly a blessing to work with people I so genuinely liked.

Then, in lieu of packing or doing anything else that I should have been doing to get ready for my trip, I went to First Friday downtown with some friends. Good times. See pic. I broke down and did some trip-related errands Saturday and Sunday but tempered it with spending time with my nieces and nephews both nights. More good times. I LOVE those kids! See more pics. Finally, around 11 pm on Sunday night I started my laundry. For those of you that were taking bets, I started packing around noon today (3 hours before having to leave my house). Finished the last load of laundry about an hour before leaving and ran the last errand about 20 minutes beforehand. But I got it all done! And I got a little adrenaline rush in the process. So, now, flying. I hate flying. But next time I write it will be from Chile, baby!!