the night before

Alright folks, I am giving into pressure from my avid readers out there(*see below) to write a pre-departure blog. To be honest, I didn't even think I had the "blogger" personality to do this, but hey, if people will read my aimless thoughts, then I might as well write them. Who knows, maybe I'll actually say something profound at one point and it will be taken by famous writers and made into a patented quotation that you find in those "inspirational quotation books" that you give to your mom as a last minute resort on Mother's Day. This first post is being written so close to the wire because I did in fact, just finish packing. And I can only hope for one thing: that my scale is measuring too heavy and not too light. Because if it's the latter, I'm in for some hefty luggage fees. It really didn't SEEM like a lot while going through the aisles at Price Club or CVS, because everything I saw, I thought I needed. Looking back, maybe I don't need BOTH bottles of Purel, but it's so far buried in my bag, it would take a carabiner and a headlamp to find it. Really though, I am taking the bare necessities; I can't help it if my hiking shoes are bulky and voluminous. But the one thing I was debating about was the hairdryer. Now, don't go and get all judgemental on me now, it's a serious appliance that requires thought. I realize I will be in a third world country, sans toilet paper and soymilk, but my hair dries in a funky way when left on its own. Also, in the winter, I was always taught "not to go out with a wet head" or else I would catch ebola. But really, in all seriousness, it feels sooooooo good to dry your hair with a warm hairdryer when it's freezing outside. I realize I am making assumptions on the state of my electricity, but the fact of the matter is that the hairdryer is packed in case I need it (I just might not tell everyone else that I have it- it may make me seem "high maintenance" and thus prematurely evict myself from the group of people I am going down with). So yeah, I climbed and put an end to that obstacle. Other than that, I didn't really feel any anxiety or enter "freak out mode" until this morning. It was hard saying goodbye to my grandparents (if you guys have never met them, Gigi and Papa Jim and Dutchie and Daddy Lew are the four greatest people on this planet (minus mom and dad). Really, I cried. A lot. I am close to all of them (Dutchie, Daddy Lew and I play golf on Wednesdays) in different ways and to go two years without hugging them, to be honest, sucks. But that's in the past now and I am looking ahead to the future. Which is tomorrow. It'll be cool to meet the other volunteers (there are 13) and get ready for Friday when we are departing the US and skydiving out of our airplane into Lima (that's all true minus the skydiving). I've never been to South America before so I will let you all know my candid thoughts when I get access to the internet again and can blog about it. I'm kind of getting tired right now to tell you the truth and tomorrow if a big day so I am going to try and get some shut eye. Love you all! Adios!

*Mags, Jules, Col, and Pfeff- four of the greatest people and the best friends I have ever met.