So, I’m down to my last two weeks of work. 10 more days until I am officially done with engineering and cubicle life. Of course, it’s also 10 more days until I officially stop getting paid… which is a bit of an uncomfortable feeling. I’m neck-deep in trip preparation, and the reality of the craziness that I’m embarking on is starting to hit me.

How on earth do you prepare for a trip that lasts eighteen months long? I certainly can’t map out every day, or even every month… although I’ve done my best! I can’t pack an entire trip’s worth of toiletries, unless I want my bag to weigh more than I do. I have to say goodbye to my parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, relatives, and boyfriend for what seems like forever. I have to give up sleeping in my own bed, eating my favorite American candy, and wearing more than four shirts for the next eighteen months. (EIGHTEEN!!) I’ve never traveled for more than three weeks before and I’ll be honest: the nerves are starting to ramp up. I imagine at this rate I’ll be a quivering bucket of warm spit by the time I finally leave. And yes, I know that analogy didn’t make sense, but work with me here.

I’m quitting my (fairly) secure job and have no idea when, how, or where I’ll make money again (or how much!)

I’ve spent hours packing boxes with many of my favorite books (most of these are now in the hands of my brother, hopefully to be treated with care.) I’ve thrown away all of my engineering texts. I’ve given away all my silverware. When I return I’ll be eating with chopsticks! I have enormous stacks of boxes full of dresses I wore to sorority dances years ago, rugby and lacrosse equipment, embarrassing high school diaries, and coffee mugs and college drinking glasses that I’ll be leaving on the curb to be taken away tonight. I brought $49 dollars in coins to the supermarket to be cashed in.

I’ve surreptitiously surfed the Internet at work planning my trip to Central America - arranging a stay at a research farm in Belize to learn how vanilla and cacao are produced and marketed world-wide and hopefully a visit to a sugarcane farm to see the operation of a handmade wooden press used to make panela.

I’ve found deals on microfiber underwear at Target and quick-dry shirts at REI and Dicks Sporting Goods (cleverly searching the “kids” section for cheaper prices) and attempted to fit everything into a backpack that is both too big and too small at the same time.

I’ve rethought the wisdom in bringing a laptop, but decided on it anyways.

I’ve spent $550 on vaccinations… and then gotten a bill for an additional $27. I’ve made that one final visit to my doctor, my optician, and my dentist, where I had multiple cavities filled and choose to keep the reason behind my travels (candy) secret.

I’ve procrastinated making a Sponsorship page for this website, where people can send me money via paypal in exchange for promises of postcards and, maybe, packages of foreign candy. I really should get on that one.

I’ve made it through approximately 10% of the language CD’s I bought to “immerse” myself in Spanish before leaving for Mexico.

I’ll be visiting Quebec one final time this weekend, although I’ve talked Jonathan into making the arrangements for that.

I should probably arrange a final get-together for people in Boston before I leave.

On Friday, March 7th, I’ll go in for my final day of work with my car packed to the brim and, if all goes well, head out a little early to pick up my sister for the most exciting Spring Break of her life (also called: driving with her big sister Malena to New Orleans.) Six days later I’ll be on a plane to Mexico City.

I’m both scared out of my mind and too excited to sleep. I’m nowhere near ready to leave yet, but I’ve been waiting for this for the last three years. I can’t believe it’s only eleven days away.