| I was only just getting settled onto the plane | | | | I'd seen, except for the small municipal airport |
| when I began to have a sinking feeling that I was | | | | near my home. And find him I did, without much |
| in over my head. The voice over the intercom | | | | of a stretch. We chatted while the other girls met |
| told me in fluent Spanish just how unprepared I | | | | up with our leader, then we loaded into an old |
| was for the journey I was about to embark on, | | | | white van, which we would quickly learn to love |
| convincing me of what I already felt I knew. My | | | | as a main mode of transit for any kind of group |
| three years of college Spanish were not going to | | | | trip, and the same style vans were used as buses |
| prepare me for a semester in the Republic of | | | | for cross-country travel, though this van's life had |
| Panama. | | | | certainly seen a lot less action than those. |
| My training in Spanish had earned me a minor, any | | | | This was the beginning of an experience like no |
| my LonelyPlanet guide book assured me that | | | | other, where I learned a bit more Spanish than I |
| English was spoken nearly as widely as Spanish, | | | | ever thought I'd know. I made friends I never |
| though I was fairly sure it was overstating just a | | | | thought I'd have. And I created a history I can |
| tad. My school would be in English, but I hadn't yet | | | | never forget. The hardest part was stepping off |
| been assigned a dorm, nor did I know anyone | | | | of that plane. The rest? The rest is history. |
| who would be attending. I was leaving everything | | | | Of course, that's what everyone says. And when |
| and everyone I knew behind for four months. | | | | I was getting onto that plane, all I wanted was to |
| Getting off the plane was worse. Passing through | | | | hear more than those trite words of |
| customs was something I'd never done in my | | | | encouragement. If I heard one more person tell |
| own language, let alone one I didn't know. Still, I | | | | me it was the "time of their life" or an |
| was excited. Here was my chance to truly learn | | | | "unforgettable experience" I thought I might |
| this new language. Signs were like those I was | | | | scream. |
| used to from home, only the Spanish was listed | | | | I wanted someone to tell me how things went, |
| first instead of in the fine print. This I could get | | | | how they met new people, and the things they |
| used to! As long as I could make it through | | | | saw. It's just that those other parts are so hard |
| Customs. | | | | to detail out. You meet new people in much the |
| To my very flustered relief, I found that the | | | | same way you meet all new people, but the only |
| customs officials didn't need to speak to me at all, | | | | bond you may find you have with the people on |
| so long as I had filled out all the paperwork, so I | | | | the program is that you're all in it together. Often, |
| went to grab my suitcase and pass on through. A | | | | that can prove to be enough. |
| metal detector later, and I was free to go out | | | | Things work out, and you all work together. One |
| into the terminal and was hit by a wall of balmy | | | | of my most memorable experiences was trying |
| air that quickly turned quite simply hot as I | | | | with the help of 3 girls and a Spanish-English |
| searched for the face of a program director I'd | | | | electronic translator to explain where we were |
| never seen before. | | | | going. We must have found the only cabbie in the |
| She was there, with a glittery sign stating that | | | | whole city that didn't know where we were trying |
| she was there to pick us up. Apparently there | | | | to go, but we got there eventually. |
| were four of us coming in on the flight from | | | | I can't say that there was any one thing that |
| Miami, and one who had arrived on a flight from | | | | made this such a unique experience, but the top |
| Costa Rica earlier in the day. "You know, you're | | | | thing I remember is that we all had to work |
| the first person I've ever seen to come with only | | | | together to get where we were going. That's the |
| one suitcase!" she exclaimed. I tried to bite back | | | | kind of thing that can help to create bonds and |
| panic, "Well, I packed another one inside." She | | | | friendships and truly bring people together. |
| agreed that it was, in fact, a good idea, and | | | | So, if you want to know what all the buzz is |
| suggested I go wait with my Costa Rican | | | | about, you'll have to jump in and give it a try for |
| compatriot, and I did. "He's got a surf board," she | | | | yourself. Any experiences you have will be |
| said, "You'll see him." | | | | uniquely yours, and you'll never lose them. Why |
| It wasn't much of a stretch to believe he'd be | | | | not give it a go? |
| easy to find. This was by far the smallest airport | | | | |