This is Just the Beginning

"Trips do not end when you return home – usually this is the time when, in a sense, they really begin."
- Agnes B. Benedict & Adele Franklin, from "The Happy Home"
This quote is from the post-trip email we received from CGE. I can't believe I've already studied abroad. I'm sad it's over but as it says, my trip is really just beginning. 

Saturday morning at 4:30am, I boarded the CGE microbus for the last time and headed to the airport with five of my compañeros/as. Half of our study abroad group was heading home Saturday while the other half was sticking around Central America for at least a week, if not 2 months. After checking in I easily made it through security and to my gate. A quick 40 minute plane ride later I landed in El Salvador, breezed through customs (no lines!), and picked up my bag.

Saturday and Sunday I spent with Pastor Matias and Pastora Martina, going to some of their communities and then to the pool with their kids and grandkids on Sunday. Monday morning they dropped me off at Casa Concordia to kick it with the fam until Friday morning when I will board another plane and head home.

I can't believe I've already studied abroad. It's something I've been dreaming about since high school and now it's done. It was wonderful. Challenging. Incredible. Life changing (in ways I won't even realize). Fun. A growing experience. Unforgettable. I'm so grateful to have had such a wonderful group to travel and study with and such amazing leaders to guide us along the way. As I get ready to head home I wonder about what stories I'll share. Some are easier to tell like celebrating Purisima on our last night, but others are a lot harder. And it's those hard ones that can really have an effect on people and I hope I have the courage to share them. I know there will be people who they'll only want to hear that "it was a great, life changing experience" and leave it at that. And I know that will annoy me sometimes but I know that I have friends and family that will want to hear and I can't wait to share it all with them.

So here I am, in El Salvador with 43 hours until my flight leaves. It's been real. It's been fun.

Thank you all so much for reading. I'm sure I'll share more and write more about my trip in the next month or so. Lots of love to you all! I hope you Minnesotans are enjoying the beautiful snow! And you Oles (and other people taking finals)- good luck! Now get back to studying!!!