4- 14 Packing

As exciting as going home is, packing to go home couldn't be more stressful for me. I've thought about it a lot...how am I going to get everything back to the states without paying a ridiculous overweight or extra bag fee? So, tonight the thinking about it turned into doing something about it...namely packing everything to see if I could fit it all in. It was a success, gratefully! Everything fit into the suitcases I already have and I won't have to buy another bag (or pay to check two bags), but I'm pretty sure my checked bag will be at least a little bit overweight. I'm hoping for a graceful agent at the check-in desk and a strong neighbor on the plane, considering my carry-on probably weights as much as, if not more than my checked bag.
Another stressful part of today was the fact that I needed to bring all of my stuff for Cuba with me to LASP to have it washed and dried there in order to get rid of the scabies that are apparently living on me and my clothes. We're of course not positive that's what my bumps are from, but the symptoms are close enough that Laura suggested treating myself for it anyway. The good news is that everything going with me to Cuba has now been freed of the bugs and whatever is left over will die from sitting in my suitcase while I'm in Cuba. I also bought some more treatment aloe to kill the bugs that are on my skin.
Alright...back to the beginning of today. Like I mentioned, I took all of my Cuba stuff to LASP this morning. That required packing that last night, calling for a relatively late night, which made me pretty tired today. I'm pretty sure that today's stress level would have been significantly lower if that had not been the case. However, I was pretty slow getting out the door and therefore missed the bus I should have taken to LASP, making me late, but class started late so it was just fine. We had our Cuba orientation this morning, which was pretty exciting and watched a really interesting documentary about Fidel Castro.
We also talked about plans for leaving San Jose and the rest of events leading up to our return to the US. After orientation we ate lunch, as usual, and it was fabulous to just eat leisurely and hang out talking about the last few weeks some more as well as preparing for our approaching departure. Once everyone was ready, Haleigh, Megan and I went to the supermarket to pick up our “food souvenirs” and use the ATM, which unfortunately didn't work. I was a little stressed out, trying to think of every little thing that I could want to get or finish up before leaving, not wanting to waste the opportunity of the free afternoon we had. I really wanted to print some pictures to send to my Nicaraguan host family and the school that I worked at for my internship, but we didn't run into any place to do that, so I was a little worried about not getting money or printing my pictures...luckily there's always tomorrow and one of the LASP staff members offered to let us use her picture printer.
Haleigh and I went to her house before I went back to my host family's house, and it felt so good to be in a relaxing home. While we were using the computer her host mom brought us smoothies and then we all watched some Ellen together. It was nice to talk to her host mom, who has hosted for LASP for a very long time and totally gets what we're going through and is just a really nice lady in general.
Eventually, I made my way home (after waiting for the longest I've ever waited for the bus), where I was excited to find Andrey home alone. I was worn out from thinking of packing, leaving, and getting everything done and was not up to having a house full of people anxious to be around me yet. I got right to packing in the time that I had alone, and soon Melany and Kevin got home from school. We said hi, and Kevin told me about his hard day at school. It was so sad...I gave him a hug and tried to make him feel better by telling him about my worst math test ever, and then we talked about Melany's day. Mami got home very shortly after they did and took care of the math test crisis a little more completely.
Soon, Andrey made coffee and we all sat down for a cafecito, and then I went back to packing, accompanied by Melany. It took me pretty much all night, but I accomplished my goal and am now ready to hit the hay.