Prologue

I imagine that by this time tomorrow, I will be inconsiderately stretching across the two large Americans filling the seats next to me, craning my neck to watch Florida's palm trees wave goodbye out the small airplane window. I imagine that I will be climbed over and stepped on frequently as they waddle back and forth to the bathroom and my request for a cup of water will go ignored by the stewardess. But I imagine that I won't care a bit because in a matter of hours, I will be on Ecuadorian soil with four of the loveliest women I know.

Stay tuned to find out how long the idealism lasts. My guess is about the twentieth hour without sleep. But at the moment, my anticipation and excitement is impervious. I will be spending a month absorbing as much culture and Spanish as possible in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, and then finally settling down in Lima for the next five months. It's truly a dream.

In keeping with the idealistic theme of this post, I hope to give you all an update every week on my own personal odyssey. Love you all and thanks for the many prayers and well wishes.