My Adventure Begins

 My adventure began on Thursday March 1 around 1:30 PM. I loaded all of the bags, like 12 of them, in the bed of the truck then went to pick up Alycia. I got to her place and put her bags in then we went to pick up 2 more bags from a guy that couldn't go on the trip anymore. Once we had all the bags we went to Cookout before we left Blacksburg. We drove to Alycia's house so that she could get her passport. On the way up we had fun talking and listening to Taylor Swift and Blink-182 (our favorite band). Before we got to Alycia's house she warned me about her mom and that she would come outside yell "Oh my baby!" Of course when we got to her house her mom came out yelling "Oh my baby!" in that embarrassing loving mother's voice.

 While we were hanging out there I started to not feel well. I felt really dehydrated and just wanted to lay down. The stress from trying to get my grad school stuff done before leaving started to catch up to me. I threw up twice while I was there. I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to go on the trip. Looking back I can tell that the devil really didn't want me to go on the trip. I started to feel a little better after laying down for awhile and drinking a lot of water. Alycia was originally going to go to Libby's sister's house and go to the airport from there. Her mom was planning on taking her but that would have been a long drive for her. We decided that it would be easiest if she just came to Rhya's house with me. I was happy about this because I didn't want to drive to Rhya's alone in the condition I was in.

 We finally left Alycia's and headed to Rhya's. When we got to Rhya's she was already there with Amanda and Suera. We hung out in the kitchen for a while before we decide it was alright to go in the living room and watch TV with Rhya's parents. When it was time Rhya's dad and sister took all of us to the airport. I drove my truck with all the bags and Alycia. I followed Rhya's dad who was driving her car. When we got to the airport we unloaded all the bags then Rhya's dad drove my truck back. One of the guys working there helped bring all of the bags inside.

 Our small group was the first ones the but we had about half of the bags for our trip. Amanda convinced me that we shouldn't wait for everyone else to show up before we started to check-in. I was the first one to check-in followed by Amanda. Everyone else quickly followed. It became a madhouse once everyone else started checking in. Ashley, Katherine, and Maria had to figure out baggage and a bunch of stuff. I was just glad that I had already checked my bags and had my ticket. A couple people went ahead and went through security but I stayed with Suera and help her pass out the tank top shirts. Once we handed them all out we got rid of the book then went to security. We tried to go to the normal security check point but it was closed and a janitor yelled at us in Spanish (ironically while we still in the US people were speaking to us in Spanish) and told us to go to the baggage claim. We were so confused but we found the security check point that was in the middle of the baggage claim. They had to search my bag because I forgot that I put my toothpaste in my bag and they had to throw it out.

 We got on the tram that goes to gate A, B, and C since we were at gate B. The tram went to A then C then back A then to were we got on. The girls were starting to worry that we were on the wrong tram but I showed them the map and told that we would be going to B next. We finally got off at B and walked to our gate. There weren't many people there yet so we just hung out. The rest of the group took a long time because they had to deal with all the bags and Maggie McNealy's passport was going to expire in a couple months and that was causing problems. They all finally made it to the gate and we chilled. Some people tried to sleep but I couldn't. We were all laughing at Libby because she looked ridiculous trying to sleep.

We boarded the plane and took off. Right after we took off I passed out until they started serving breakfast. I woke up right before they served my row. I looked up at the screen on the TV and the credits from some movie they played were rolling. I had no idea that they played a movie because I was out. Breakfast wasn't that good, especially since I was expecting the mini pancakes they had on my previous TACA flights.

 When we landed in El Salvador we had about an hour and a half layover. We hung out and explored the airport while we waited. After I boarded I was waiting in my seat to see if anyone else in our group would sit next to me. Nobody from our group sat next to me, nobody sat next to me but the guy 2 seats over was one of the trip leaders for William & Mary. I talked with him for most of the flight. He was reading The Heart and the Fist which I finished reading during my trip over the summer. We talk about what an amazing life Eric Greitens has had so far. Everything from studying abroad in China, seeing firsthand the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia, helping the street children in Boliva, going to Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, becoming a Navy Seal, and starting The Mission Continues to help wounded and disabled warriors serve their country as citizen leaders. I want to have a story like that when I am 37. Thinking back on it now it really makes me want reread the book.

 When we landed in Managua I got really excited. We went through customs and got our bags. I was happy that I was in a group this time because I wouldn't have to worry about standing outside alone for 20 minutes again. When we walked outside Christina was waiting for us. It was nice to see a familiar face. Once everyone got outside we loaded all of the luggage into the micro bus while we got into the regular bus. On the way to Hotel Ticomo all of the translators introduced themselves.

 As we drove through Managua I just got more and more excited, especially since I knew exactly where we were. I felt so much better than I had at Alycia's house. When we got to Hotel Ticomo we unloaded all the bags and they gave us room assignments. They put me in the room with 2 of the translators. Katherine told me later that when they were trying to figure out the rooms someone said they needed to put someone else with the translators and Christina volunteered me because she knew I wouldn't mind. I was glad I roomed with them. I got to know more about them and have a good relationship with them. We moved in and had lunch before we started the real fun by going to Nueva Vida.