Pre-Departure Preparations

Hello again readers!

I feel like I have been getting things together for this trip for months and the fact that it is only three weeks away boggles my mind. I have been making lists of what I need and collecting things for this trip since the day that I got accepted into the COST program. Overall, it has been one of the most stressful yet exciting experiences getting ready to leave. While this is something I have been preparing for mentally the more that I put things in my suitcase and organize my belongings the more real it feels. However, I truly do not believe that it will all hit me until I am on a six-hour plane ride to a different country that it will really set in.

I have done so many things to prepare for this trip including research on Spain, finding techniques for home sickness, talking to other people who have done with before, and collecting things to take with me. Luckily, I already had my passport so that was not something that I had to worry about. I recently got my TSA pre-check just as something to save me time. Buying my tickets was something that I also recently did because I was playing a waiting game with the prices. The ETIAS is a new program that some European countries are having people do, however, it has not become active yet so that is something that I have been tracking and keeping an eye on incase it becomes active before I leave.

After learning that I would be going to Spain I started on some research about things such as culture, history, government, and other things that you should know before traveling to another country. I learned that they are governed by a Prime Ministers and other Ministers but has a king and queen. Then I learned that Spainards are very lax and even have 'siestas' which are basically times of rest which I will be enjoying. I feel like I have a good inclination about what their culture and some of their history is from my Spanish school that I went to when I was younger. However, I plan to learn as much about Spain while I am there and really absorbing as much information as I can.

Now as for packing, I have not started yet since a majority of the clothes that I will pack I am still using for my current student teaching placement. I will be done with my placement on a Wednesday and fly out on that Saturday, so I plan to start packing Wednesday night just to make sure that I have all the clothing that I need. As for toiletries and other things, I have been collecting and repurchasing all the products that I use so that I have full products to take with me. I am not afraid to run out of things there because I am excited to try some of their products.

I genuinely cannot believe how fast this time has gone by and that I only have three weeks left in the states before I am gone for two whole months. It all feels surreal and crazy that I am completing a life goal of mine so soon! I am beyond blessed for all the support my family, friends, and AU staff have given me. My next post will be when I am in Spain!

Sincerely, Ms. K.