Planning for this trip has been a work in progress for a long time. Starting from the first meeting it has been a whirlwind, and trying to make sure I can get all the materials necessary for the trip while I finish up the semester has been. Now that I am a day away from Nassau and I am nearly entirely packed up I can take a deep breath. The whole packing process has been spread out over the last few weeks/ months, as I have slowly gathered the things I need to pack. One of the biggest stressors about this trip is the packing, I think. Just knowing that I’m traveling to a small island means that I will not be able to get some of the things I need if I forget. Trying to balance bringing everything I need and trying to pack as little as possible for the plane ride has been tricky. However, one of the biggest helps in preparing for this trip have been my parents. Just having someone else to help me pack and double check me ensures that I won’t forget anything that I can’t get on the island. My mom specifically has been a great help to me. She has been great at making sure I don’t forget anything, but she has also been a big help in deciding what is or isn’t necessary to bring, since it all must fit on the plane.
Now that the biggest stressor is almost done, I can relax and think about the trip to come. I can hardly stand the excitement now that the stresses of packing are almost entirely over. Even though I am excited, there is an underlying nervousness. Travelling is always a stressful situation, as the fear of losing a bag or having something stolen is ever-present. This is also coupled with the fact that I have never been to San Salvador and don’t know what it is like to live on the island. I worry about getting along with the locals and not standing out too much. I also worry about getting injured or something happening to me or another classmate. I feel as though these fears are pretty typical for people travelling to a new place and among my classmates and this makes me feel a little better. Just knowing that others are probably feeling the same makes me less worried. While I feel these in the background making me nervous, I feel that once I spend a day on the island these worries will be a thing of the past. Any way you slice it, I feel much more excited to be on the island, than I feel nervous about the trip. I hope everyone reading this can get a sense of comradery and their worries a little lessened. I can’t wait to see everyone on the island!
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