“Barf Barf,”
I probably vomited seven times. I was going to fly once again after almost eight years. I was so nervous! I did not know what to expect; I was going to see my family in El Salvador for two long, long weeks.
The morning of July 18, 2009, I woke up early, nervous with so much anxiety that I did not eat well. At the airport there was a long line to check in. Frustration raised over me, next, another long line at security. We were already running late, so we had to skip a bunch of people to get trough. Finally, we made it. The plane ride made my stomach get really upset and caused me to vomit like crazy. The first couple of days in El Salvador I could not sleep well; there were mosquitoes buzzing around my ear, my grandma snoring like a bear, and a rooster at three in the morning crowing, fire works at midnight, cars would not rest; I could not take it anymore! The days dragged, I could not see the day when we were going to return home. After a few days, I recovered and I started building a relationship with my family and made new friends. The new friends were caring and not superficial like some people in here act. They did not treat me inadequately because I came from the United States or feel threaten by me. In no time, they occupied a big space in my heart. We did many things together, we went to each other homes, talked, laughed, went swimming, dined out, worshiped in church, went to the park, ate ice cream, the list goes on and on. However, all this fun had to end; I did not know if I was ready. A memorable moment that I will never forget was when all my family and friends came to uncle’s house and watched movies. I went to a small store and bought a bunch of chips. Those chips cost ten cents!! With three dollars, I bought junk food for more than a week. What was really hilarious in El Salvador is that there are this motorcycle-taxi looking thing that gives you rides if you need it. They call them “tuk tuk;” it is so cute and darling.
“Ohh, I want to cry, I don’t want to leave, I want to stay here with all of you,” but no tears run down my cheeks. August the 3rd arrive fast and saying goodbye knowing that I would not see them for a long time was not easy. Yes, I was very sad, but I could not cry. In the waiting room in the airport, while I was alone, I started to remember all the fun I had. For example, when I broke my toenail playing soccer, or when I got a fever after a huge swimming, or anything. That moment tears rushed through my face I could not believe this was it.
“How long, how much do I have to wait to see them again?”
Those are questions that I desperately want to answer. When I graduate, I will go there again, but that will be a year away. People tell me, “It’s going to go by really fast. Before you know it, you will be saying ‘hello’ to everybody again.” Meanwhile, I will be here waiting, and I do not feel that the time is going by fast enough. If someone would ask me right now if I had overcome my feelings, I would probably say, “No, not right now.”
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