"I learned that in Nicaragua you get chased down the street with machetes."

I don't have time to be doing this, because I have to be up in three hours, but I'm going to anyway.

I wanted to do this whole intro post with basic info about the peace corps and the whole process I went through to get to yesterday, but there wasn't time for that either. Now I just have to write before I forget things.

There was a slight increase in my heart rate while saying bye to my parents after being shoved through security yesterday morning, and that was probably it. And I was thinking then that after I get on that airplane to Nicaragua I will be the ONLY person in control of my life. Not that my family is controlling, but the influence is there when I'm only 40 miles away and my parents are paying for my rent.

Anyways, on the plane ride to Chicago I read some of this big fat book that peace corps wanted us to read about teaching techniques which I hadn't had time to do either. I'm not complaining, I'm just saying. And slept and read a card from my parents. And wondered why I wasn't in panic mode yet. Also my carry on luggage didn't fit in the overhead compartment. I'm not gonna tell that story.
Then on the ride to DC, the woman sitting behind me on the plane overheard me talking to my mom on the phone and we discovered that we had the same fate and so we shuttled over to the hotel together.
DC is sooo beautiful and clean and shiny!!! Promise myself to come back some time.
Get to the hotel around 7:30pm, met some people on the shuttle over, meeting my roommate for the next two nights, and talking and snacking and worrying together. Then making phone calls to mom and dad and sister.

Then Rikin is in the lobby!! How exciting!! My last familiar face before I leave for a long time. I was just expecting a quick bite and maybe a short walk, but thennn "This is your first time in DC?!?!?! REALLY?!?! .....hold on....." and then being whisked away to the Lincoln memorial and washington monument and places whose names I can't really remember (sorry) and the WHITE HOUSE. And at night time! It was all very nice and pretty and I learned a lot and I would have never thought to go at night if I was on my own. It was ridiculously sweet and generous of him especially for being in the middle of doctor school. I feel very lucky.

And then showering and collapsing into a really comfortable bed for the last full night of sleep in the states.

I was going to write about today too, but this is all I got in me. Good night. The next time you hear from me I will be in Granada, Nicaragua, and hopefully awake enough to be witty. <3