At the airport

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Well, the day is here. I am sitting at the Portland International Airport with about an hour to go before the first leg of my journey. I leave at 10:05 PST and arrive at 6:45 am in Chile. Chile is 4 hours ahead of the west coast. What a long day of travel!

The last week has been an hectic mix of packing, organizing, reading, and meeting up with good friends/family one last time before I leave. It's been nice to see how many people I have around me that really care about me and whom I care about. Thank you to everyone who has wished me well, bought me lunch or dinner, or just thought about me. I have appreciated all of it very much.

When I get to Santiago I will head straight for my hostile. All the volunteers are staying at Hosteling International for the first week. During this time we will be doing training and orientation along with some Spanish assessment and lessons. I plan to do a little exploration depending on how much energy I have. I hope to be able to sleep on the plane (thanks, Marta! ;-) ). Then we have to head back to the hostile to get pictures taken at 4. On Monday we are going to the United Nations Headquarters in Santiago where the Director of the Inglés Abre Puertas (English Opens Doors) Program will address the volunteers and talk about the successes of the program since its inception in 2003. We will have a busy week of orientation and training and then we head to our communities next weekend. I so excited to meet my host family!

Well, that's all the time I have right now. I have to go board my plane soon!
Take care, I will miss you all!
Zach Wegner

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Photos

At the airport
I snapped this just after I finished typing by blog

Comments

[Gino]

YAY!
I'm proud of you for doing this trip and I hope you have an experience of a lifetime! loves

[Kendell Tylee]

Day 1!
I was at a Santiago Bus Terminal, and this director was looking for all her Ingles Abre Puertas teachers :) The funny thing is, she asked if I worked for Ingles Abre Puertas. It was the first time I had heard English from a stranger in a long time, so I was caught off guard at first. But I said yes-- because I did!-- and she got really excited and tried to usher me onto their bus. I had to break it to her that I wasn't part of that specific program :( But, she and the rest of the folks were really, really nice and friendly. I think you will be in good manos! You'll have a great time, hun :)

[Emilie]

I miss you already! I hope you have a good seat on the plane ;o) Drink some champagne on the way in and take a hot towel (if they still give those out). Write again when you land so we know you got there safely! XOXO -Em

[marta]

are u there yet?
ZW: breathlessly waiting to know that you've arrived, and hear your first impressions!

[Jeff Moores]

nerd alert!
thumbs up, sucker. you're a nerd. :) miss you.