In 24 hours I'll be in Guatemala City...!

I cannot begin to tell you how nervous I am right now! And I'm not the type to get anxious about traveling. Today has been a tad frustrating...found out that my flight back home in December is wrong (thank God it's not tomorrow's flight!), been trying to keep my suitcase at a carry-able weight since we'll be moving around so much (my mom says I'm gonna come back with oober buff arms from hauling my suitcase everywhere), and missing a few items that I swore I had when I started packing two weeks ago...and my ear has been giving me trouble all weekend. Wow, I'm complaining a lot. But besides those things, I'm feeling all right about leaving tomorrow. :P I am very excited! My goal as I begin this journey is to be open--in mind, heart, lifestyle, and with people. I can't wait to meet the other students that will be traveling with me during the program, and I'm excited to finally use my spanish a lot! I hope and pray that I am confident in my language skills and learn to use it more fluently.

One thing I want to make clear for whoever ends up reading this: my time in Central America is not a mission trip. At least not in the context that most people think of "mission trips"--I think "mission work" can and should be done anywhere you are, but my presence in Central America is not "to help," it is to learn. I hope that during my time there I can shine God's light to everyone I come across, and that is a mission for my life always. My role in CA is as a student. If what I learn inspires me to return to "help," that would be wonderful. For now, I am an eager US student willing and excited to learn about life and the people of Central America.

Tomorrow at 10:35am I will be flying out of Sioux Falls, on to Chicago, and then to Miami to Guatemala City. I'll meet up with the rest of the group at the Guatemala City airport. There are 13 (I think?) students total studying with this program this semester. Our group consists of college students from all over the US. The Center for Global Education has full-time staff down in Central America with whom we'll be studying. Our first couple of days will consist of orientation in Guatemala City, then we'll travel to Quetzaltenango to begin our Spanish language studies. Our academic focus in Guatemala will be learning Spanish and about the culture...in more of a general spectrum I believe.

So as I leave, I'm feeling very anxious...both in an excited and nervous way. I know I will miss everyone here very much, but I am so excited to meet new people and form new relationships with the other students, faculty, families, and everyone else that will be a part of this program. And besides, it's only three and a half months. ;) I have been told that by the time December rolls around, I will not want to leave CA. I'm hoping this is true.

Ways you can pray for me (I'll put this at the end of my blogs...but trust me, it's difficult for me to ask for prayer support for myself...haha): Peace of mind with being away from loved ones, safe travels, good dynamics as our group meets and forms, and confidence in myself and my Spanish.

Thanks for reading. I will post on here as often as I can. :)