Preparations - Firsts and Lasts
As I prepare to leave, I'm finding that there are many things I may be doing for the last time. My last day of school was June 16, and it was strange to think that I would miss the place where, for five days a week, I would count down the hours until I was free to go home. It's also been much harder for me to say goodbye to my friends than I'd expected, now knowing that I can't say for sure when I'll see them again.
I'm trying to take in as much of home as I can before I leave: visiting friends, going to local farmer's markets, eating at my favorite cafes, walking around town, hunting for sea glass on the beach, and taking lots and lots of pictures. Getting to enjoy some of my favorite things one last time has made it a lot easier to fight off a sort of 'pre-departure homesickness,' and it's comforting to know that a lot of things will still be the same when I get back.
There are many new things happening as well. I've become friends with other outbound exchange students from around the world, and getting to talk and skype with other people going through the same process has helped me in a lot of ways. I also received an email from my first host family, and found out more details about my exchange. One of the things they told me was that I will be living in Lima, the capital, which has a population of over 10 million people. I've heard so many great things about the city, and I can't wait to find out more while I'm there!
...In the meantime, I should catch up on my Spanish.
