Going to the States!

I'm so Excited, so nervous, so not packed yet, so not even really sure of my itinerary. All I know is that I cannot WAIT to see my family and friends. I am going back for my birthday celebration in Miami and then to Orlando for a family reunion. Talk about the best of both worlds! I haven't been back to the States since I started my Peace Corps Service so this should be interesting.

I'm nervous about the culture shock, the price tag shock, all the English (and all of the Spanish I will lose speaking English for two weeks) and being used to looking like Raggedy Anne and not knowing how to "dress up"! All of that stuff does not matter and my anxiousness about them will quickly fade when I see mi gente.

My travel schedule to the states is ridiculous. I have to go to Guayaquil (9 hours away) just to fly to Quito (which is about 5 hours from Sua, and 9 to 10 hours for Guayaquil, but it was the cheapest flight) and then I have about a 12 hour layover then I'm off to the States (on my actual birthday). I am here writing you on the 3rd and I don't know if I am going to leave the 4th on a night bus to arrive in Guayaquil in the morning or just take a day bus on the 5th and catch my flight at 8:00 pm *sigh *. I also don't know if I'm just going to camp out in the airport or if I am going to go through the trouble of leaving the airport finding a hostal and then going back to the airport in the mornin.

I suppose these are all things I will research today, whilst I "continue" to do pack, do laundry and figure out my travel plans!!

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday To Meeeee!!!!