Waxed, packed, and almost completely vaccinated.

For the past few days Ariana and Liz (mostly Ariana) have been pestering me to write on “the blog” and my response has always been, “I’ll write when we get to Ecuador…when I have something to say!” Well, I’ve decided to give in mostly because I thought of a really clever title (which is actually entirely true). Today Ariana and I visited the Russians for a couple of leg waxes, which we thought was necessary for the rainy, 60 degree weather we will endure, and we spent the last two hours screaming at each other and with our mom about our suitcase situation. Also, after making some emergency calls to Switzerland and Mount Sinai, our Dad is assured that the three of us would be getting our third and final Rabies vaccine tomorrow.

Soo, we essentially have two days before we leave for Ecuador and I don’t think we could be freaking out more…..the kind of freaking out that’s so overwhelming you don’t actually react at all! (I think it will hit us on the cab ride to JFK) Ariana and I are praying that we won’t be forced to leave our sleeping bags at JFK because we didn’t understand the baggage limitations listed on Avianca’s website…and that the other volunteers don’t think of us as the crazy Americans who completely overpacked..because we completely did.

With five suitcases between the two of us, three months supply of malaria and altitude sickness medication (and a lifetimes supply of claritin for me), as well as matching rain outfits, the three of us will brave the four hour flight to Bogota, the one hour connecting flight to Quito, and the one hour drive to the rescue center with the anticipation and excitement that motivated us to embark on this trip in the first place.