Antes de viajar

First off, I created this blog because I'm studying abroad in Heredia, Costa Rica for a semester. I don't leave until January 14th but I thought I'd start early because I am already feeling stressed and anxious. Today is the last day of class for the fall semester and that means exams are soon. I can't even wait for them to be over because that is one more thing off the list that is keeping me from Costa Rica. I am going to create a list of things have to happen before I leave and post when they are fulfilled.

List of "To-Do's" before I leave:

• Have fun with my roommates, We are going to have much needed roomie night of fantastic-ness and I can't wait to laugh and enjoy there company before I leave.
• Take Exams, I have 4 exams that I really need to study for them. I'll start.. soon.
• Finish filling out of my my pre-departure paperwork, The paperwork is endless! I wonder what is left to do. I'll get on that.
• Move Out of my Apartment, I live on-campus so I have to move out so that my roommates can get a new roommate (sorry guys).
• Fly, I've never been on a plane so I'm going to "practice" by going to New York with my family so that my first flight isn't a four hour trip to San José.
• Celebrate Christmas with my family, This will be fun but sad cause Jeremy (brother), Jen (sister-in-law) and Lily (my sweet 18 mo. niece) will be in NY with Jen's family so it'll just be me, my mom and my grandma.
• Spend New Years somewhere fun, I'm hoping to Teen Valley Ranch (the camp I was a counselor).
• Go to Passion, This event will get my spiritual juices flowing to prepare me spiritually for CR!
• Pack, I'm not sure how I'm going to pack four months of things into one suitcase!
• Say Goodbye to everyone, This is going to be the hardest thing ever even though I am so excited to go abroad
• Cry, I'm sure this will happen on more than one occasion and I'm not saying that it hasn't happened yet but nonetheless, its on the list.

Secondly, this blog is going to double as my journal for a distance class I am taking through UNC Charlotte for general education credit. So, there may be some interesting conversation and thoughts about the culture and life in general in Costa Rica.

This is all for now, keep checking for updates ! I can't wait to see where this blog will go.