adios sur america

I feel like I should have these big feelings surrounding leaving south america. Right now it feels just kind of normal. I think I have so much practice leaving places lately that this just feels like another one of those. Also because I am flying into LA and not sure what I´m up to until being in Ashland on the 24th-25th before heading to Portland. Maybe if I were just flying to Portland the trip would feel more over than it does. I´m also sure that when I get home and have time to sit and hang out and wait to see what kind of stuff rises to the top of the simmer of my brain and emotions.

Being back in Quito shows me how much things have changed for me though. I am not scared like i was. Terrified to be on the trolley and such. Just feels normal. And I remember how much I was homesick for a while and didn´t want to continue my trip and just wanted to go home. I am so glad that I continued on. Thanks to lots of support and advice from most of you, so thanks for that.

I am mostly excited to see people´s eyeballs again. Hugs that aren´t virtual. Time to just sit and visit. Meet those babys.

I am so grateful that Holly is going to pick me up at LAX and I get to spend a couple of days with her family. And if the stars all line up I may get to find a visit with my friend Matt in there that I haven´t seen in years. Depending on cost, I may try to rent a car to meander up the coast with. Or I might take the bus. Or the train. Oh, who knows. Man, do I miss driving. So much. There is a freedom there that we know about but until it is really taken away from you, you don´t appreciate as much. Even when you don´t have your own car at home, you are with friends in their cars and you can still go where you want. When you can only go on the route that is the route and that is all there is to it, you notice the lack of freedom.

It is fantastic to see Phil and Ruby again, I´m so glad I´ve gotten a couple of days with them.
see you soon!
mj