Preflight Thoughts and Anecdotes

We're leaving for the airport in 5 hours, and we're trying to cram in as much friend time as we can. Last night we had a bunch of friends over for dinner and drinks. This is maybe the third or fourth "going away" party we've had, and our friends and we all agree that it's getting ridiculous. They're beginning to question whether we're really leaving or just milking them for parties; we're beginning to wonder if we'll ever get the hell out of here.

By the way, thanks to everyone who threw us a going away party and/or housed us during this two month period of homelessness and poverty. We will bring you all back wonderful Chilean presents.

Last night, a few of us consumed a little too much, and (we won't mention any names, but it rhymes with gate (or bat if you're from Lexington)) ended up sleepwalking into some other friends' bed and scaring the living bejesus out of them. After they sent him away to where he was supposed to be sleeping, a few minutes later he did it AGAIN. This time, the girl was so freaked out that she shrieked and made her boyfriend actually take the sleepwalker back to his bed so it wouldn't happen again. If you know this certain sleepwalker at all, you know that this has been a long-standing problem of his. What worries me is that this will happen in Chile where we know absolutely no one and nothing of our surroundings, and he will get shot and/or arrested for crawling, in a sonambulant stupor, into some Chileno's bed. Let's all hope this doesn't happen.

Everyone keeps asking us if we're nervous and/or excited about going. The answer is yes. Maybe a 15/85 mix of the two. I was much more nervous in the middle of the summer, questioning all of our decisions: should we have chosen to do Peace Corps? Is Chile the right country to go to? Are we ridiculously stupid for not having secured jobs before we get there? Should we be paying a lot of money to take a TEFL course? What the hell is a TEFL course anyway? But when it comes right down to it, the decision is made, the plane leaves today, and tomorrow it will all begin...