Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Wednesday afternoon I will be on an airplane flying to Libya. I fly from PDX to Amsterdam, from Amsterdam to Tripoli (Libya) and then will fly from Tripoli to Benghazi, Libya...my new residence for the next 7 or 8 months. I started to feel a little anxious about the trip last week because I realized I didn't really have any finalized plans, everything is kind of up in the air until I arrive. I know I am doing something at the British School, but I don't know what. I am told I will have a tutor for Arabic, but I don't know who. Just this week I found out where I am living (I wasn't worried about this because I had many options). My dad was trying to explain to me that no one plans ahead for anything, "you wake up in the morning and don't think about making plans for that evening...it's just not how it works over there". I kind of laughed and admitted that I had just gone out to buy a new planner to take to Libya with me...so is every day going to be blank? My dad began laughing really hard and thought it was hilarious that I had bought a planner for Libya. It's interesting because this won't be my first time living in a culture where plans fall through all the time, it was exactly the same when I lived in Ecuador (I never used a planner in Ecuador...)

If you've ever heard me talk about living in Ecuador you know that I describe it as one of the hardest experiences in my life and not the most positive experience. With Libya, I know it is going to be difficult in ways that Ecuador was not (i.e., language barrier, lack of independence), but I think the fact that I am going to a place that is familiar to me and where I have family is helpful. It also helps that my dad is going with me for the first month to get me settled.

I am excited for this next adventure and hope to post updates regularly :)

Please keep me updated on your lives as well! :)

Peace,
Nadia