Finallyyyy

Today was the big day! Getting up at 4:30 in the morning doesnt exactly agree with me (lol) but today it was totally worth it. I hit the road at five thirty after some last-minute packing, and nine hours later, here I am! Everything looks about the same as I imagined it would, and this house I'm going to be living in for an entire semester is pretty cool, but some locals were telling me that they've had a mouse problem the past few months. Oh well. Can't have everything, right?

I tried some of the local cuisine this evening to try to acclimate to the local customs. It was delicious. It was this really exotic cheesy bread kind of thing. There was this orange-white cheese on top, mixed in with an interesting tomato cream or sauce or something, all stuffed on top of a really doughy, kneaded bread. It's then baked and cut up and ready to serve! I had five pieces all by myself!

I also tried a really interesting corn dish. Some bites were fluffy but others were teeth-crunchingly hard. A local showed me a trick to make it taste a little less bland - a few pinches of salt - and it made for a delicious snack. Hopefully I can find a place back home that sells it. Not that I have to worry about that for another few months!

I bought some Pacifico beer (or should I say cerveza!) at the local liquor store this evening to help get me in the mood to enjoy the local cuisine. Once again, I have nothing but good things to say. Some beer just goes down really smooth, you know? Sometimes you can just take a sip of beer and say "Now that's a beer," about it. That's what happened with Pacifico. I'm so glad I'll be studying here this semester. I can get it whenever I want.

Well, that's all for now! My roommates will be showing up in the next few days...I hope they're nice. I wonder what language they speak? They're from all different parts of the country I'm studying in. It'll be really interesting to get a glimpse of what the rest of the country is like. See you soon!

Jack

Last Days at Home

Today marks the less-than-one-week milestone before I leave! I'm super excited, and want to thank everyone who's been so supportive of me as I've been preparing for this experience that I'm sure to remember for the rest of my life.

As all of you who are going abroad know, the excitement is bittersweet. Sure I get to look forward to months of new adventures that include learning about a culture different than my own, mingling with the locals, and really broadening my horizons, but all that comes at a price. I have to leave behind friends, family, and everything I know and love, not to mention my comfort zone.

To be honest, I'm very apprehensive about the upcoming weeks. I already know a lot about the culture of the place the natives dubbed "Moswetuset," but what I've heard makes me pretty nervous. For instance, I know that it is rife with bad drivers and rude people. I know that sports are huge there and that to insult the local team is taking your life in your hands. I have met several people from the area, all of whom are obsessed with explaining why it is the best place on Earth, and why where I come from is somehow inferior. Also, the food is pretty lame. I know you can't get a good bagel or a solid slice of pizza for miles.

I'm also really worried about the classes I'm going to take. My schedule doesn't allow for me to take any electives, so they'll all be for my major (I know, awful, right?). I hope my GPA doesn't like, plummet lol.

Anyway, I have to go continue packing my life into that one tiny bag I'm allowed to bring, plus I have to start saying goodbyes to all those people I won't see for soooooo long. Adios!