Preparing for the trip...

The 2 weeks before we left were crazy! During this time we (the MC) had a dinner with former MCPs, the Outgoing Preparation Seminar, Exchange Day, 2 meetings with our BOA(Board of Advisors) and SG (Supervisory Group), besides meetings as a team, with task forces, with the VPs that we each coach and finally going to classes in the morning and handing in whatever assignments we had during this time. Additionally for me, exactly a week before we left, Erika started classes, so all in all I slept very few hours and my stress level was extremely high!

I remember our last night here, we were all wondering what the security restrictions would actually be once we got to the US and UK airports. Would we be able to take our cameras and carry-ons with us on the plane? Would our bags exceed the weight limit? Would the restrictions vary excessively between airlines and airports? I was on the phone on and off most of the night with Pancho packing and figuring out what to take and what to leave. I remember there came a point when I was crying on the phone, I was SO stressed! I didn't think that I could fit all I had to take (Guatemalan t-shirts, traditional clothing and material for the Global Village, my clothes and shoes, etc. etc.) into my backpack. I finally got everything in, but wasn't sure how much it weighed; so I took an extra bag just in case I had to unpack in the middle of the airport to have the right weight. And I must say I took the minimum of clothes necessary for 3 and 1/2 weeks!

I got to sleep like at 2:30am; was pleasantly surprised since I thought that I would not get any or very little sleep, but I actually slept like 3 hours. Which for those of you that know I usually don't sleep much, is enough time to rest.

My brother and his girlfriend took me to the airport that morning at 6:00, since we had to be there 3 hours before our flight. Renee and Pancho arrived a bit later, and (thank GOD!!) our bags were under the weight limit and the security measures weren't as strict as we had heard. So we finally were on our way to IC with cameras at hand!!!