It is so crazy to know we are leaving in 5 days!
I am flying home to San Francisco tomorrow morning and will spend the weekend packing, running errands, and generally just freaking out. Jesse, on the other hand, is very demure and relaxed about it all. lol.
We have one more run to the storage unit to make. I have yet to decide which clothes to bring with me, but will be keeping it very very light, as the airline will charge us for the weight of the bag and we can always buy what we need there for less than it costs here.
I have been in Kentucky for the last 9 days and had a great time seeing friends and eating/hanging out. It's been hard to stay calm, knowing I'm leaving for South America for a year!
I saw high school friends Lucy, Rachele and Cathy. As well as college friend Emily and her baby, Louis, who was so enjoyable and adorable. I drove up to Harrison, Ohio to meet her half way from Indianapolis. I also saw old co-workers from Lexmark and good friends, Mike and Brandon, who are always tons of fun. So it was a great time back in my homeland, and I am actually kind of sad to leave! Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Jeff all treated me to amazing meals and movies and presents, and am feeling a very lucky girl to be pampered so and heading off to South America to basically enjoy the hell out of myself with my wonderful boyfriend at my side.
On Sunday, the 2nd, we are having a going-away party at a favorite bar around the corner. But only after the Packers game is over, since the aforementioned wonderful boyfriend is from Wisconsin and will not miss it for anything, not even work. It will be great to see everyone, all the friends I've made in San Francisco over the last five years. My friend Nancy who moved to LA has said she is driving up for it! Which is awesome.
Then we are off early early on Tuesday morning for a 24 hour travel adventure to Santiago via LA and Bogata, Columbia. I have equipped the parents with booklets of information regarding our flight information, apartment information and all the phone numbers of every American embassy in South America. Suriname and the French Guineas don't have any, so I guess I may have to call home more often when we are in those countries. ;)
My biggest, most desired goal is to learn Spanish. Apart from just having fun. Oh, and learning salsa. And probably drinking lots of Chilean wine and eating lots of Chilean seafood. And... everything. :)
My next blog will be from Santiago hopefully the day or the next day after we arrive!
Will miss you all terribly, and invite every single one to come and visit us at any time during the year in any country.
Hasta Luego!
Annie & Jesse
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Twenty Days!
Only 20 days until liftoff! I am pretty anxious and excited! It will be so amazing to be wandering around Santiago.
We are in the process of wrapping up the final things we need to do. Have sold the car, and they will be coming by tomorrow to pick it up. Such a relief to sell the car! And the $1,200 will help too!
We have made 2 runs to our storage unit in Fremont, which is about 40 minutes away in no traffic, but the Bay Area usually always has traffic and the other day we were sitting in the car for almost 2 hours trying to get home.
The room is a total mess right now! But I've done a lot of sorting and packing and feel pretty good about our readiness. I want to have all of it ready to go for when I get back on Dec. 30th so we don't have to run around trying to get everything done. I have yet to go through my clothes to see what I should bring or not. I gave away my warm clothes a year or so ago, which is really annoying! But I'm sure it will be fun buying some in Santiago. I do have my ski jacket, so am definitely bringing that for when it gets 20 degrees!
We have a few more things to buy at REI for when we go backpacking. They don't have REI there.
One of my friends put me in touch with a friend of hers that is from Seattle but lives in Santiago with her husband now. So it's been nice have an American I know over there to ask questions.
What we really need to be doing is studying our English grammar to get ready for classes!
Hasta Luego!
Annie
We are in the process of wrapping up the final things we need to do. Have sold the car, and they will be coming by tomorrow to pick it up. Such a relief to sell the car! And the $1,200 will help too!
We have made 2 runs to our storage unit in Fremont, which is about 40 minutes away in no traffic, but the Bay Area usually always has traffic and the other day we were sitting in the car for almost 2 hours trying to get home.
The room is a total mess right now! But I've done a lot of sorting and packing and feel pretty good about our readiness. I want to have all of it ready to go for when I get back on Dec. 30th so we don't have to run around trying to get everything done. I have yet to go through my clothes to see what I should bring or not. I gave away my warm clothes a year or so ago, which is really annoying! But I'm sure it will be fun buying some in Santiago. I do have my ski jacket, so am definitely bringing that for when it gets 20 degrees!
We have a few more things to buy at REI for when we go backpacking. They don't have REI there.
One of my friends put me in touch with a friend of hers that is from Seattle but lives in Santiago with her husband now. So it's been nice have an American I know over there to ask questions.
What we really need to be doing is studying our English grammar to get ready for classes!
Hasta Luego!
Annie
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