24 hours of travel

PDX - 4:01AM PDT

If you have ever lived with me or gone on an overnight trip with me or if you know me at all…you know I am not a morning person. For most of my college years and before that I have wished to be a morning person, I have tried to be a morning person. What I have discovered is that I am not (and will likely never be) a morning person. No amount of coffee will help me to enjoy being awake before 8 am.

Yet, here I am 4 am, at a gate in PDX, waiting to board my first plane to DFW. Today (and into tomorrow) I will see 4 airports, 3 planes, 2 layovers, and a bunch of time zones. I’ve done international travel before, but it’s been a while since I have done it completely by myself and I have never done it without a familiar face at my destination. Excitement and nerves are flying all around, but after the the stress of packing and trying to track down a COVID test for travel this feels like nothing. My biggest challenge now is that I can’t make time pass faster so I can get to Montevideo sooner. Which makes me think…if coffee isn’t enough to make me enjoy mornings, maybe the prospect of a new adventure is.

DFW - 11:52AM CT

Made it to DFW. First leg of travel done! I slept most of the flight and grabbed a late breakfast, so I am a bit more refreshed and trying to busy myself with work to pass the time before my 3:15PM flight to MIA. I knew there was a reason I procrastinated all those “winter break to-do” list items. A couple of people have already reached out in the ‘Update Me’ section of this blog. I have loved hearing from you all! Keep them coming for the remainder of the semester ;). It doesn’t matter what kind of news you send in. I just like hearing from you!

A sweet friend of mine just sent this Hellen Keller quote over: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” At the same time, I have messages rolling in from a group chat with other students coming to Montevideo. We are deciding when and where to meet up for our group flight to our new city. I am forever grateful for the gift of friendship (new and old).

MIA - 7PM ET

Arrived in MIA airport with about 3 hours of layover ahead of me. Walked in a circle around the D terminal where the order goes D37, D38, D39, D30? Finally, I found my gate and sat down with a couple of other USAC students…and then moved to a different gate all the way at the other end of the terminal. Our first 10 minutes together as a group already had us running around looking for where we are supposed to be. Finally we got settled in and started learning everyone’s names and a bit about their backgrounds. I am already looking forward to getting to know everyone more! I turned my computer on to do a little more work but eventually decided I wouldn’t be getting much more done. Fortunately, I am almost finished! Just in time for a semester of new learning. We all board and settle in for our flight. See you soon, Montevideo!

MVD - 9AM Uruguay!!!! (4AM U.S. PDT)

Here we are! Bienvenidos a Uruguay! The semester that has felt like SUCH a long time coming. I can hardly believe it is here. We arrived at the airport a bit early and though it was long, the customs process felt like one of the easiest I have gone through yet. At the exit, we met up with our Resident Director and Program Assistant. From there, we got on different shuttles depending on our neighborhoods and were taken to our new homes. I am living with one other USAC student and a host mom. Our host mom had her family over today, so we are getting to meet them too. However busy and tiring this day has been, it is a great one. I am finding that even though my Spanish is not good, it is functional enough. Going from dry winter to humid summer weather is an adjustment. Orientation plans for tomorrow are delayed due to a 100% chance of rain, so everything will start Monday. Until then, we have time to settle in and prepare for the week (and months) ahead.