Farewell Pacific Northwest

It's my last night in the PNW, and I don't really want to go to sleep. I'm quite nervous. I have travelled a fair amount in my lifetime: Montana, Idaho, California, Florida, Tennessee, British Columbia, Baja California, El Salvador and parts of Europe; but I have never missed an entire Pacific Northwest season. All of the seasons here are my favorite! (That's a straight lie, autumn is my favorite.) I've started to get pretty nostalgic. The daffodils have started blooming, and I'm going to be sad to miss dad bringing fresh-cut flowers to the breakfast table. I'm sad to miss Easter baskets (not that we even do them anymore), the hippies by the Mill Stream, Zara's and Nicole's birthdays, Wulapalooza, and track season. But I've been told repeatedly not to complain when you are about to ship off to a 75 degree paradise with an apartment 8 blocks from the beach.

I am flying to San Francisco bright and early tomorrow (I am currently borrowing from the 5 hours of sleep time I have left) to spend a day with Lena's mom, Elizabeth. I requested to see the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill, but I'm sure she knows more exciting things to see in the city. Friday morning (and again, obscenely early) I fly from SFO to Miami where I have to spend a nearly six-hour layover. I snubbed Lena's advice to bring a blanket when it turned out that I do need all of my suitcase space, but I am starting to regret it. My Mexico blanket is trying to guilt me into bringing it, knowing I will be much happier in it's comforting arms, but I just don't see where I'm going to find the room... Maybe I'll have to move some clothes out of my carry-on. Who needs that just-in-case-they-lose-your-luggage outfit anyway?

At 8:20 pm Friday I will board my final plane (hopefully?!) for the recently-rumbled Santiago airport. From there, the plan is for someone from the school to pick me up, and I think they will drive me to my host family. I e-mailed my host mom for the first time on Saturday, just to check that my family was okay, and she has since added me on Facebook. I have high hopes for our relationship.

On the other hand, I am going to miss my biological family dearly. As much as it has been a pain in the butt, I have enjoyed rooming with my sister for the past two months. I can't really imagine being so far away from her and everyone else for so long. But I guess we usually adapt to our environment, and as soon as it comes time to leave Chile I will be writing a post to echo this one.

As much as I don't want to, I really should be getting to bed. It's going to be a big day tomorrow.