Last minute preparation

Ahhh!!! I don't think I could be any more stressed out right now. Things are truly down to the wire, and I am scrambling to get everything done. As I'm sure most people know I'm a bit of a control freak and perfectionist, so if there was anyone who was going to take this whole preparation/packing thing a bit too far, it would be me. Every day I seem to learn about some new thing that I absolutely CANNOT do without for an 8-month stay in South America! No matter how much I may think I'm done buying new things and putting together more materials, the list just keeps getting longer.

One way or another though, on Sunday night it will all have to come together so I can get myself on that night flight to Buenos Aires, connect in the morning to Montevideo, and begin my week of orientation. I now know that I will be living in the province Paysandu for the first 3 months with one other Fulbright Teaching Assistant, Elizabeth. Paysandu is in the northwest of Uruguay, on the river that borders Argentina. Apparently that is the region in South America with 'hot springs', so some of the province is actually an eco-tourist location. It looks like a nice place, but I really don't have too much of an idea of what my living/working situation will be like. I have my two school assignments there, but that's about it.

One of the other ETAs happens to already be down there, and she has been emailing us with updates. She has assured us we are in good hands with the program coordinator who has been helping us, and also reported that there are lots of cool events all month celebrating international women's day. I'm psyched to join her in checking some of that out!

Right now I am so stressed and an unpleasant grouch to be around, but I know I just need to keep my eye on the prize. I was told recently by a fellow teaching assistant abroad in Europe that it all gets better once your feet are on the ground... even though I am nervous to be leaving and facing the unknown and definitely sad to be saying so many goodbyes, I can't wait to have my feet on that ground!