one month to go

Hey family & friends,

Thank you for taking the time to read my rambling :) I hope you enjoy my first blog and many more to come! (please excuse the spontaneous thoughts in my head...this will be a journey for us all)

I cannot believe how fast time has passed since I was first accepted into the TeachingChile program in November. Before I know it, I will be in the air to Santiago...I don't believe that in a month, I will be living in and immersed in a different culture. How exciting! I wish I thought about that more often, but I have to admit, most of my thoughts through out the day are consumed with tasks I must check off my list before Feb. 17. (I'm so relieved that my visa application was submitted last week, and I will pick it up Feb. 5. The only big things to accomplish still are finishing my TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) certification (five modules down, five more to go), arranging for emergency medical insurance, and packing up the rest of my belongings).

I hope that in the coming weeks, I will focus less on the things I need to do and more on the people and environment around me. I've been so incredibly blessed the past year and a half to live in such a wonderful city with such amazing people. Charlotte is my home, and I never expected to love it as much as I do. Whether it be taking walks and admiring the beautiful old trees in Dilworth, grabbing barbecue at Mac's, strolling through NoDa, rotating houses for girls' nights, taking it to the face across town, or making dinner and going crazy over Catchphrase...I absolutely love life here. It must be a little bit of that southern hospitality, right?!

Ah, when I reflect on these moments, all the worrying goes away. I know deep down that everything will be all ready to go by Feb. 16...at about, oh, 3am...I always procrastinate...
Haha it'll all get done, so I'm trying not to stress from here on out!

I'll keep you updated on the exciting events in Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond and all the way to DC as I make my last stops before heading south.

Peace and love on your week,
LG