Promises to Self

I can't believe it's down to two days. My bags are packed (almost), I've said most of my good-byes, and my sanity is back with the arrival of my new debit card today.

Scariest, yet most exciting of all is the fact that I don't know what's to come. I keep on forcing expectations onto myself while simultaneously rejecting them. One thing I do know, is that while this trip will profoundly change me, there are some promises to myself that I must keep (in no particular order):

1)Be open. To people, to experiences, to food, to beliefs, to sharing about myself.
2)Cherish every single day of this adventure.
3)Be safe. Take the necessary precautions, carry a First Aid kit, don't draw too much attention that could turn negative.
4)Get to know the host family.
5)Be a support system for my BU buddies and hope they will do the same.
6)Update the blog regularly.
7)Go out salsa dancing regularly.
8)Know limits; living to the fullest can get exhausting.
9)Travel in spare time; I want to feel like I know the country (at least geographically) when I leave.
10)Be myself. Now, I know some of you might shrug off this last promise as cliche, or a given, but it's important to remind myself to hold onto what I love most about myself when I'm feeling lost in a new setting. I hope that with time this country and its culture become a part of me. I love layers.

Thank you dear friends for following my thoughts, it means more than you know. This is my last post in the States for a while. Hasta pronto, nos vemos en ECUADOR!