Four, Three,Two, One...go

Hello one and all,

Thats right, we are down to single digit days here. It's truly go time now. I've enjoyed the past few days when all of my friends have been in school while I have had the blissfull pleasure of... running all around town all day long and never ever stopping. I have the worlds best biker tan right now, you have no idea. Yesterday I was at the condo for 20 minutes all day long until 6 o'clock that evening. This was the first week of school, so of course I had to go by and hassle all of my friends (meanwhile wishing I could repress the childish urge to stick my tongue out and say Na na na na na na). It's quite entertaining to walk the halls and know you don't belong to the high school anymore, and it gives you an odd feeling of confidence. I can check my cell phone in view of teachers and not care, the worst they could do was kick me off campus. And i'll just come back the next day anyways so who cares? I've been getting to know my fellow traveler Alexa, who is going with me. Between all of the little chores i've been getting done (malaria pills, press release, homestay gifts... etc. etc. ) it's a wonder I still have time to go by and see my friends for lunch. But I make time ;) I'm excited and somewhat nervous for this grand adventure to start. Sometimes it feels like i'm crazy for signing myself up for such an amazing program, but then I remember this IS an amazing program. But between all of the hectic crazy-ness I've been having the time of my life the past few days. Riding my bike around town is seriously one of the best feelings in the world, the weather here is great ( 80's 90's) and it's so nice to make my own breeze as I speed along sidewalks and backroads. I'm enjoying my last few days here, sitting in parks enjoying a lunch, giving my dogs belly rubs, eating ice cream sundaes and waffle fries for dinner, seeing my friends, walking the halls of BHS and most of all just soaking up my last days here.

See you later. Im not sure when later is, probably the night before. But until then,

adios!

~a

Mail

Mail, actual mail and not email is very much encouraged while I'm in Africa. There's just something different between knowing that so and so actually WROTE this letter, it's just so much more personal, because you took time out of your day to write this instead of tweeting me or emailing me, or IMing me, or posting it on my wall or, well you get the point. It's called snail mail people, thats right, get out the old stationary and write a letter! You can even seal it with some cool sticker or something. Stick some candy in there too while your at it, jolly ranchers,butterfingers,snickers,ring pops anything. Send a newspaper clipping, or maybe a cool magazine article. Or even a letter will do. News from home and some comfort food (marshmallows anyone? goldfish?) will be much appreciated. So we just received our information on mail and I thought I'd post it. :)

Overseas addresses: It takes approximately 3 weeks for mail to arrive in Africa. Even if your post office tells you it will be there sooner, the mail service is slow for packages outside of Cape Town or Johannesburg. Because if this, we ask that you send any letters and packages to the homestay coordinator in Cape Town. Your daughter will be at her homestay from October 29-November 2nd, so packages should be mailed no later than October 5. If you have additional questions about mail, please refer to the following page on our website: http://travelingschool.com/forparents_aboutmail.php

To: CUPIDO FAMILY

(Allegra La Ferr)

249, 12TH AVENUE

KENSINGTON 7405

CAPE TOWN

SOUTH AFRICA


crazy huh? So please send me snail mail, but send me some emails too :) :) there isn't anything more depressing then signing in and seeing I have no new emails!

mmkay adios!

Testing...Testing...1,2,3

Hello Hello All

3 Weeks from Today I will be off on my grand adventure. As of late I have been basically running around Bozeman like a crazy person trying to get things checked off THE LIST. Yes it's so great big and terrible, that it has a The in front of it. Did you know that it's 5 pages long? FIVE FREAKING PAGES. How is this possible, it's sort of like the never ending list. It feels like even when I get the satisfaction of checking off one of those maddening little white boxes indicating I have purchased this item, it still feels like I have so much more to do! I went and got my pack, and the guy at the store (since I was in there for so long I remember his name was Pete) said that I was the hardest person he's ever fit a pack for. EVER. Papi and I were in there for TWO HOURS. I think i'm going to be living in that store, in fact I pretty much have been. But besides all of the madness of trying to find things that are NOT blue (because everything i've purchased has been...blue) and trying to find tank tops withOUT a racerback style I've also had to face the realization that I need to get into shape. In the words of my friend Greta "Meh" Although I still haven't practiced packing my pack or been on any big hikes or athletic activity other than riding my bike around town I still plan to *gulp* get into shape. Tomorrow. In the hot August heat. I've also been getting little things ready, putting more photos on my IPod, downloading more music, reading as many books as I can get my hands on because I won't have time in Africa, getting used to Papi's camera. But luckily I have all of the forms in, all the medical forms, money forms, noterized forms, and just plain old forms.... phew. In the meantime I've been hanging out with everybody I know and I have been going to Orthodontist Appointment after Appointment because I wouldn't want to go to Africa with braces now would I ;) ? i have also been enjoying the simple pleasures of hot running water ( I expect it might be hard to come by in some places), nights when I read until 1 AM and sleep until 2 PM, my crazy dogs running around (otherwise known as frick and frack) and many other simple pleasures. Well I have to go pick up Papi from fishing, so I'll post another blog soon. Bye!