My two months of preparation have seemed like a journey in itself–a journey towards another journey if you will. Between the road trips and shopping trips, working as a babysitter for four beautiful children, and spending time with my family, the day has finally arrived. Tomorrow I will be boarding an eleven hour flight out of JFK and landing in Buenos Aires at approximately 4:40AM.
Battling with my procrastination tendencies, I am still not packed as I write this. Some may call me crazy, but I, as delusional as it may be, like to call it living in the moment. I have been home for two months and I like to think I have spent most days wisely. Of course Netflix has taken me to the dark side on some days, however I have used this time off to take a deep breath and look around at my world and what it has meant to me, how it has defined me. I have had the opportunity to visit my dear friends at their schools and see how different our college lives are. In somewhat of a new health kick, I have been able to try new recipes at my leisure and enjoy my mother’s delicious home cooked meals. I have been able to research Argentina and their customs and current events, practicing my Spanish in the shower or with whomever is so lucky. Looking forward to the warm weather I so deeply crave, I have tried to appreciate the snow and ice and at times it was possible. Building snowmen and blowing freezing bubbles with a three year-old would make anyone’s day.
And of course, in my last minute fashion, I started to work on the “important things.” Yesterday I picked up some Argentine pesos and when I was making sure they were all real the teller was a little offended, but I hear you can never be too careful. Today, I enrolled in property insurance and placed an order through xoom.com so I could pick up money once I get there. But I believe all this preparation and delayed panic won’t really do me any good. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Nothing will compare to breathing those buenos aires.
