My bags are packed, I'm ready to go

Tomorrow I embark on this journey to Colombia. I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea of actually being there, because so far my mind has been consumed by pre-trip logistics. Little things tend to add up like travel insurance, cramming as much Spanish into my brain as possible, raising financial support, figuring out what to do with muh dawg while I travel, and getting things in place both in Longmont and Austin for when I'm gone.

Plus it's been a challenge to figure out how to actually get to where I need to go. Tomorrow I'll fly out of Denver with a 3 hour layover in Houston and then on to Miami. The plan is to spend the night in the airport to keep costs down and because my fellow accompanier doesn't fly in until after midnight. Seems silly to get a hotel room when she gets in so late and we fly out at 8am on Tuesday. So then we fly to San Jose, Costa Rica for a brief layover and then on to Medellin, Colombia. Our hope was to fly to Apartado on Tuesday as well, but we were unaware that we needed 4 hours between flights because of travel time to another airport. So, we'll find a hostel in Medellin and crash there for a night.

Once in Colombia, Kelsey and I will spend most of our time in Apartado (which you can find on a map) and we will likely be traveling around the region of Urabá (which you won't be able to find on a map) for part of the time. I'm excited and anxious to get there and meet the faithful people of the Presbyterian Church who are tirelessly working for peace.

This trip is unlike any other I've taken. I've never traveled outside North America. I've spent time in a country where I don't speak the language (two separate weeks in Mexico), but both times it was in a large group of people I knew. The longest I've been out of the country is two weeks, so this month may stretch me. I've also never traveled while in a relationship which will add an unfamiliar dynamic to the trip. I'm going to try to avoid being the mopey girl who misses her boyfriend, but I admit I'm going to miss him a lot.

For now I'm going to try and calm my nerves, look over what I've packed for the 47th time to make sure I'm not forgetting anything and enjoy the evening with my parents.