Getting Ready

And now it begins...I'm getting really close to actually being ready, it's getting scary! I still can't believe I'm actually going to be leaving the country in just a little more than a day. The bags are almost packed and the electronics are being prepped for a very looong journey. I know for sure I'm going to miss everyone at home terribly, but I'm also excited for the new adventures awaiting me in Chile.

At my pre-departure orientation at the University of Iowa, we were told to come up with some goals for our study abroad experience. I've thought through a bunch of different ones, but here's, I think, my current list:

1) Acquire fluency in Spanish
2) Attend church regularly
3) Get involved in the youth group at church
4) Get involved at the girls' orphanage
5) Get lots of data for my senior thesis (speech samples, observational notes, etc.)
6) Pass all my classes (A's would be good, but B's would be acceptable - did I just say that??)
7) Visit the Andes mountains (skiing would be ideal, but we won't get our hopes up too high)
8) See penguins :)
9) Swim in the ocean
10) Go salsa dancing at least once
11) Visit Valparaiso
12) Visit Machu Picchu, Peru
13) Have a good glass of Chilean wine
14) Go hiking
15) Make Chilean friends and hang out with them
16) Keep a blog regularly
17) Send postcards to family and friends

I'm sure there's more things I want to do, but that's all I can think of right now. Anyway, back to the trip preparations. Hasta luego!!