I can't believe that its the day before my trip already, (actually, it is 11.00 pm and I still haven't packed!). However, I'm famous for my last minute work, and my middle name is procrastination. I've know this day was coming since the day I signed up for this trip, but the thing I didn't see at all was the response I was going to get from my school and community. Its amazing...

I seriously had no clue that people were going to respond this way to my trip. This last week in the states has been absolutly amazing. It is everything I could of wanted to do with my time here. I just have to say I'm touched. I cannot possibly describe my gratitude on this screen. I have the best friends anyone could possibly ask for, and the teachers at my school are amazing. As wierd as it may sound, a lot of the teachers at the school are more of my friends now than my teachers.

I didn't think It would be this hard leaving my school behind. Well, let me re-phrase that: extremely easy to leave the building itself, but the people there are different. Today the school gave me a 500 dollar scholarship! That should keep me off the streets of europe for a while. I think I'll stick to the advice of my eng prof and not spend all of it on hookers and booze. Classic advice. Unfortunetly, that same prof is making me pack a mini library for his class that i have to take while i'm over there. It is ridiculus, I actually might have to pack more books than clothing. That's when you know you are a nerd.

The rest of my week was filled with eating out, going to the Micheal Franti and Spearhead concert on Monday, another surprise party thrown by my family, and lots of support and love from people in my town. Good week!

But back to the issue at hand. Packing. Nasty stuff. Extreme procrastination. Cafine buzz wearing off. Has anyone out there ever tried to stuff things you will need for four months into something that doesn't even seem big enough for the mini library Ialready have to pack? Well, I guess this is a part of the "traveling man's plight." ( I hear Chicago O'hare is the other part.) I like to be prepared for the situations I might come across when I'm over there, and packing for that seems to be a little daunting, but while I sit here bitching, my clothes are in the washer, so I'm not being completely useless right now.

I got some good news today about where I will be living in Salamanca. I was psyched to hear that my new spanish home is 10 minutes walking distance from the city center! I'll be living in the medievil section of the city close to the Plaza Mayor, and the Cathedral! Yeah I'm one lucky son of a bitch, and I don't know what I did in my past life to deserve it.

I hope that as my trip goes along, I will be able to ease the pain of Rillos' 6'th hour accounting class back home. I'm sorry Rillos, but that class is horrible! Accounting is another term for cruel and unusual punishment right? Well, considering how my main audience is in that class, I better write to please huh?

-Eric

PS. Travel sched.: Fri jan 14, hayden-chicago, chicago-london!!! Gracias a todos quien me creen! Estoy muy muy muy agradaciado.

FINALMENTE!!!