Leaving Raleigh

This morning I had a bit of a crisis as I was getting ready to set off on my adventure. I stood in my room, staring at what looked like two GIANT bags full of too much stuff. I spent the next half hour or so ripping things out of my bag... lotion. gone. extra fleece that I'll probably want back later. gone. favorite Keds shoes (you know the ones with the monkey hanging on the stripes). gone. Approximately 2 pounds lighter, I felt relieved and was able to cinch down all the straps and haul my bags out to the car with a mind at ease. When Rachel, my fabulous housemate, dropped me off at the airport, we made bets on the weight of my bags, which I knowingly claimed were less than 30 pounds each. Much to my dismay, she won both bets... each bag weighing in around 34. Dang.

So that's the airport run. I guess I should explain how I found myself hauling two overweight bags of stuff to the airport? Back in February, on my usual trolling of the NOLS job listserv, I came across a posting for a greenhouse manager at the Valle Chacabuco Lodge run by Conservacion Patagonica. I lamented my lack of ability to grow tomatoes properly and deleted the email with a noted disappointment. Several weeks later, another post came across for Conservacion Patagonica. This time, it sounded right up my alley. Host of the Lodge. I applied and promptly dismissed my chances, so was floored when a couple of months later, I got a call for an interview and then was quickly offered the position. Then comes August, when I swallowed my hesitation and bought my plane ticket, which leads me to here. Here being the Dallas Ft. Worth Airport having a piece of pizza and typing away.

Off I go on my big fall adventure. My job title remains a bit of a mystery when it comes to what exactly I'll be doing when I arrive, so stayed tuned for details. I left my house in Raleigh today (Saturday, Sept 10) at 12:00pm and with any luck, I'll be at the lodge next Tuesday after a series of flights and bus rides. I'm lucky enough to be put up in Santiago by a Broadreach friend and hope to be well rested when I finally arrive.

Pictures of Patagonia coming soon I hope!