Time to Leave

We'll be leaving soon. It will be a nineteen hours total trip south. We're leaving the country for a while, but I can't say we're going overseas,can I? Basically we're just following the land mass south, south south to Santiago, Chile. We've said good bye to all the kids and the grandkid. And this week I'll visit my mom and sister and say good bye to them, again. This time they don't ask us why we're going; they've grown used to our meaderings. Maybe, like us, they knew it was time.
We've been busy today. I've printed out five copies of our updated resumes, checked to see if my insurance will cover emergencies, and printed out an application for an international driver's license. Leo updated his resume, pulled out our ESL certificates, and dug out some materials on teaching English.
I'm glad we're finally making lists and getting things checked off them. It feels like we're really moving forward instead of just talking about this. "Oh, we've decided to go to Santiago, Chile and try to teach English for a few months." But I'm still not sure it's going to happen although the tickets have been charged on the Visa but not paid for. We promised a few people that we could turn around and come home if they needed us. So part of me is waiting for a phone call to tell us we're needed.
But I haven't felt needed. Not even when we babysat our grandson. He was sick and homesick the whole time. We did our best, honest. But he got the better of us healthwise, and we're not only packing but trying to get better. This is our third day on antibiotics and I think my sinus headache is finally disappearing. Leo is still coughing and rests a lot. We've got to be healthy when we board the plane for the long, long ride.
It's harder to leave this time. I've always doubts, but this time I'm a little fearful of the unknown. My Spanish stinks. I can't understand anyone who speaks it. I've listened to my CD three times and when the conversation is at a normal pace, I'm lost. But it's going to be easier this time than when we went to Shanghai. At least the alphabet will be familiar. And I have been studying the language for the past four years, half heartedly. This time should be easier. But we're older, and wiser. Which means we already had the experience of coming into a foreign city and not know anyone and not know where anything is. I'm glad there's two of us.