Uno: The Traveling edition.

My plane officially leaves at 1:10 p.m. CST- I will land in Hermosillo at 3:55 p.m. and then a quick stint with customs.

I have a place to stay my first few nights there, and someone to pick me up from the airport, and someone who’s volunteered to help me find a place to live.

There was a slight fear in the back of my mind a couple of weeks ago because I couldn’t seem to get a hold of anyone. It was just me and my suitcases at this point. So last Friday I mustered some gumption and called President Velez- he’s the President of the Hermosillo, Mexico Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Do you know how you can hear when people are smiling at the other end of the phone? I could hear that warmth in his voice and I imagined that had I been there, his smile would’ve been sincere and his concern genuine. He was so good natured, and so amazingly kind- he asked me what I needed right away and there I was, trying to give him a condensed version of my problem and then that villanous knot came into my throat and I was biting my lip trying not to cry.

Alas, the tears won and so, here I was apologizing over being a strange girl and calling him asking him for help when he didn’t know me from Adam. He just kept reassuring me with ‘No sister! But I’m here to help you!’. Presidentent Velez is pretty new in the area; I’m guessing he’s been in Hermosillo for maybe 6 months. In the middle of it all he asked me "Sister…are you single?"- it was almost like he was asking me a secret, which made me smile. When I told him I was he replied "Well, not for long!" and chuckled. We talked for a little bit longer and then gave me the phone number of Bishop Diarte- a Bishop who was also new in the area, and new as a Bishop; he’d been given that calling about a month ago. President Velez felt he was the man to help me since the Bishop gone to BYU and had lived in Provo for about 8 years.

I called Bishop Diarte next and he asked me what he could help with- within minutes he’d offered a room in his house, along with the offer to help me find a place Monday & Tuesday in a neighborhood he felt was safe. I felt such relief at that- I mean, I know I’m going to be okay and everything, but it’s still good to know that somebody knows me.

This last Sunday I spoke with Lisa- she’s my dear friend Vanessa’s best friend (one out of the two), and she happens to live in Hermosillo. Lisa was awesome- she answered all sorts of weird questions I had about what it was like over there and I am excited because I feel it’s the perfect transition place for me. Add to that the fact that Lisa basically sounds like one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet and you’re set! She’s going to come and pick me up from the airport and drop me off at my new residence.

It’s going to be so nice seeing a friendly face there.

My priorities upon arriving there are as follows:

• Finding Housing
• Getting the ‘Voluntary Departure Form’ signed at the embassy on September 8th
• Getting the internet hooked up at whatever my new place is.

The one I’m worried about the most is the second one, because that one pretty much seals the deal in my not entering for another 10 years. Given, as it stands I can’t enter in about 25, but I have lovely plans for next year. Have any of you heard of Yi-Peng in Thailand? I’m planning my trip there November of next year and am really excited. If I time it right I can go by India and enjoy Diwali, which would make it a double whammy of the grandest sort.

In short, things are falling into place.
And I’m really excited about life.

I’ll post my address as soon as I have one- in the mean time, please feel free to send any mail to my brother’s address.
If you don’t have it- ask :)

Listening To: "Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap
Reading: "Crime & Punishment" by Dostoevsky