9 days!

So here's a quick update on the next two weeks for me. Exciting, but stressful weeks. Head home from visiting with family in South Carolina (as well as my one married friend Laura in Greenville) and spend the next five days agonizing on how to pack for four seasons in two suitcases for a country known for its fashion. I'm already having anxiety that I'll get the onceover at a club entrance and not get in without 5 inch Jimmy Choo heels.

However, that doesn't really change things since I'm simultaneously anxious about all my stuff getting stolen with my absent-minded traveling tendencies so I don't really want to increase the amount of expensive things I'm taking abroad. Hopefully I've matured since a certain mishap in airport security three years ago on my trip to Spain (may or may not have left my laptop in security at O'Hare airport--God is good and it was returned to me thankfully!), and will at least not LOSE anything and ideally, never get robbed either, although previous Fulbrighters say that 90% of the group experienced some type of petty theft in the eight months. I'm not optimistic enough to expect to be in that other 10%.

Enough with the anxiety rant...I'm 99.9% excited and .1% nervous so I think that's a pretty good ratio.

Friday: last meal with the family (SAD!) at SITTI
Saturday: Fly out of RDU @ 7:20 to Miami; Leave Miami at 11:15
Sunday: Arrive in B.A. @ 10:20 a.m. Make my way to the hotel...Meet & greet @ 2. City Tour @ 3. And after D.C., I'm sure my fellow grantees will be up for going out despite any jetlag.
Monday-Wednesday: All day conferences on transitioning to Argentine life, teaching, cultural issues, FAQs, presentations, etc.

At this point, I assume I'll have a flight to Mendoza on Wednesday, but I haven't heard any news on this. I don't like to send excessive emails questioning details since I always receive emails that say "It will be taken care of later. Don't worry." This is clearly a difference between American and Argentine culture, since this is less than two weeks away. Speaking of cultural differences, I do not think that where I am now (Gaffney, SC--peach water tower on I-85 if that rings a bell for anyone...) could be any more different than where I'll be in nine days. Talk about culture shock...