Wow! I can’t believe that in just over a week I will be on a plane headed for San Salvador. What happened to all of my prep time?!?! Working and babysitting have filled my days, and now that everything is wrapping up, I’m finding myself very overwhelmed with the realization that I will actually be leaving, and that I should probably start putting various items into a suitcase. I hate packing…it means planning for every possible situation. But then of course this is impossible because the unexpected is bound to happen. And if I pack for this trip like I have for every other trip I’ve been on, I’ll over-pack a certain item like pants, but completely forget the underwear.
As of now, I have made various lists on napkins and post-it notes in hopes that I can piece together a packing list that will cover all possible wardrobe and health circumstances/malfunctions. I have experienced a fair share of unexpected ailments and complications abroad, and have learned that it is best to be prepared!!! But, there’s a problem…I’m also trying to pack lightly. I’ll be hand-washing all of my clothing so the fewer items the better! The weather in San Salvador will be in the 80s and 90s with occasional afternoon rains, which means I won’t have to pack too many bulky items. Light cotton t-shirts and skirts are looking like the easiest and coolest options for everyday wear.
And it's a good thing clothing won’t take up too much room in my suitcase because I have to bring down half of my books required for my classes at UCA. I will be able to purchase the remaining books when I arrive. I haven’t really opened any of the books as of now, but am excited about each course just from the class descriptions. I will be taking 15 credit hours: Immersion through Praxis/Field Placement, Perspective’s on El Salvador’s Civil War, Latin American Theology, Advanced Spanish and Sociology of Public Communication in El Salvador. Two of my classes will be taught in English and the other three in Spanish.
I think what excites and scares me the most about this trip is the immersion I will experience through my classes, the living environment and field placement. It is a little overwhelming to think of all of the information and experiences I will have to integrate throughout the course of four months. How will I react to it all? Will I be able to handle everything that comes my way? Will I completely break down without access to the food network? (I’m only partially kidding about that last one.) Oh well, I guess it will all come with time and adjustment. I really can’t worry about it. It’s time to just dive in!
Hasta luego,
Chandler
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