Someday Your Life Will Flash Before Your Eyes - Make It Worth Watching

Well, here I am getting ready to begin another adventure. I started this blog less than a year ago to document my big adventures. Around this time last year I had been on an airplane once, I had been to one other country (Canada, aka my backyard), and less than a handful of states. Jeepers, a lot has changed in a year! I've now been to more countries than states within my own country, and I am about to make that gap grow even larger as I embark on another adventure.

At 6:10 this coming Monday morning, Olivia (my best friend) and I will hop on a bus headed for NYC.   After reaching NYC we will board a train headed for Long Island, where we will stay with a very kind family friend for about a day. VERY early Wednesday morning, we will hop on a plane bound for Ecuador. For those of you not familiar with Ecuador, see the map below.

We should be in Ecuador around 7:00 Wednesday evening - God willing. Olivia and I will be staying with our friend in Cuenca, Ecuador for just over a week. 

This is a big deal for many reasons, starting with the fact it will be my first solo trip (I mean solo in the sense that I am doing the planning). There are no professors, no uncles, or no parents buying my tickets, setting the itinerary, etc.  It will be my first time in a primarily Spanish speaking country, so I am going to get to put my education to practical use! The list goes on... 

I am very excited, but I also have to own my other emotions. I am nervous. I usually over think just about every situation, so there are a million "what ifs" going through my mind. What if we get delayed, or stuck in another country? What if I get sick? What if Olivia gets sick? What if Spanish 101 wasn't enough to get by? What if Chavez passes away, or is unable to attend his own Venezuelan inauguration? Will that throw the area into instability? - As you can probably imagine, this is stressful, but I am certain God will be there for us, so everything will be okay. 

Traveling has brought me so much! Exposure to a very different culture is an absolutely outstanding experience, so I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to do so again. I feel SO blessed to see my best friend experience this for the first time. I also feel blessed to be able to stay with my Ecuadorian friend and her family. Their kindness and hospitality will be a gift to Olivia and I that we can never repay. 

I will update the blog periodically throughout the trip. 

Hasta pronto (see you soon)!