So the time has come... a few thoughts and ironies regarding my leaving

I have 4 days left. I have been avoiding counting, but I can no longer ignore that my days are numbered here.

So my dreams have been telling recently and have reflected my state of transition:

1. I dreamt I was in the mountains of CO and it was raining and hailing. My comment in the dream: "I wanted cooler temperatures, but not this cold!"

2. In another dream I was having a conversation in English, and other people were talking really fast. My comment (again within the dream): "You´re talking too fast. I can´t understand you. Slow down." Again, it was in English.

3. One night before going to bed I was reflecting on that I am not just going back to the US, but will be starting a whole new experience. My time in Colorado is only a visit, because I will be going to Ohio, to Bowling Green, a place I don´t know at all. (I have never been to to Bowling Green, the university or the town, and have only driven through Ohio one or two times). So that being said, I have quite a new experience ahead of me. However, instead of dreaming about my adventures here in Mexico or the upcoming one in Ohio, I dreamt of another, different adventure: I and several unknown companions were on a outer space mission.

As my dreams indicate, my brain is in transition, doing much reflection, and I have mixed feelings about leaving and going. (A completely normal, and healthy, part of the living abroad experience I think).

I realize that many desires and anticipations have flip sides that I may not like, or are perhaps contradictory with other desires. For example, climate: I am excited to leave Sonora´s 110-120 dry heat, but I will be exchanging it for midwest humidity and cold. (And as indicated in the dream, I will be spending a week in the mountains where the temperatures will be like Novermber here, and I might just be cold, instead of cool.) Another example, I am excited to be able to be surrounded in English to have understand and be understood 100% , but I am equally sad that my immersion experience a nd all it´s opprortunities will be finished.

Finally, I indeed have had an "other world" experience this year, but sometimes I also feel like I have "another world" experience awaiting me this coming year, both in being in a new place, but also because I have a new perspective of which to view it through. }

One final thought, ironic: After being here for 11 months, Montezuma´s revenge finally took it´s worst blow and I have been sick, in bed or on the couch, the past 2 1/2 days. Alas...and I thought I was less of a foreigner now. At least I have energy and a desire to try and eat today.




PS My plans before school resumes at BGSU: a week in Rocky Mountain with my parents, a week in Denver seeing friends and getting stuff ready to move, a week in Iowa seeing my brother and sister in law and the DeBruin family of 3 :), move out to Ohio, find a place to live, and finish my papers.

I will still be adding a few posts here this summer as the reflections and wrap ups continue.