Final Preparations for my First Voyage to Colombia
2:40am: I am sitting in the kitchen of my Charlotte family’s home; reminiscing on the first month and a half of my summer and imagining what the next five weeks are going to hold. Three trips to Target, four trips to Wal-Mart, one to World Market, one to a chocolate shop, phone calls and a Skype session with my family, and multiple correspondences with Mario and Mel Bolivar later….I am finally packed for my first voyage to Colombia! I have my Bible, gifts for my hosts, American candy (Mario and Mel’s suggestion), a different outfit for each day I am imagining in my mind, less pairs of shoes than usual, my travel gear, and many well-wishes from friends and family. I believe I am ready for my trip to Colombia!
2:40am: I am sitting in the kitchen of my Charlotte family’s home; reminiscing on the first month and a half of my summer and imagining what the next five weeks are going to hold. Three trips to Target, four trips to Wal-Mart, one to World Market, one to a chocolate shop, phone calls and a Skype session with my family, and multiple correspondences with Mario and Mel Bolivar later….I am finally packed for my first voyage to Colombia! I have my Bible, gifts for my hosts, American candy (Mario and Mel’s suggestion), a different outfit for each day I am imagining in my mind, less pairs of shoes than usual, my travel gear, and many well-wishes from friends and family. I believe I am ready for my trip to Colombia!
As I
think about all of the preparations I have made, I cannot help but wonder if
they are necessary. I am traveling to Colombia to connect two Presbyteries, two
countries, many churches, lots of families, and to do God’s work. Do I really
need my most comfortable walking shoes, peanut butter for my nighttime snack,
my laptop to blog, Kindle to read, and an assortment of outfits? Should I take
gifts for each person I meet? Do I need to keep a blog and be on the Internet
to post few times a week? The answer to all of these questions is no. I do not
need to write a blog. I do not need to take my electronic devices. I do not
need to take different outfits. The Colombians I am meeting are not expecting
gifts from me, so I do not need to take them. However, I want to show my
gratitude for their hospitality. I want to be an “Ambassador,” as my
Grandmother would say, for the United States, Miami County, Troy, OH, and Queens
University of Charlotte. I want to arrive prepared for anything. I prepare for
trips by packing heavily, arriving with gifts for my hosts, bringing comfort
food from home, and traveling with my electronics so I can update everyone on
how life in Colombia is going.
Most
importantly, preparing is an individual task (although I did miss my mom folding
and rolling and organizing all of my clothes for me). My preparation includes
getting everything together that I might want or need while I am in Colombia.
Preparing includes corresponding with Gina and Mario and making sure I have all
of the details figured out. Preparing includes saying lots of prayers and
telling everyone I see that I am going to spend five weeks in Barranquilla,
Colombia!
My goal
is to post a blog entry at least twice a week. I will most likely be including
photographs, so look forward to that! I appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm,
prayers, and support while I travel to Colombia to do God’s work and experience
being Presbyterian, a woman, a college student, a native English speaker, and a
mother/daughter/sister in Barranquilla.
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