We arrived at the airport around 11:00pm. Some of the families were already there. I guess they were excited! Pat had done a great job organizing the paperwork beforehand, so it was a relatively stress-free departure.
I've felt more relaxed and at ease about this trip than any previous trip. We've got a great group of students, my wife and I make a great team, and we're better organized & prepared than ever before. I think this will be the trip where my homestay program finally achieves the level of professionalism & quality that I've always strived to attain.
In the past, the trips were always a great experience for the students and hosts, but they took a tremendous effort on my part to organize single-handedly, and that always left me exhausted & stressed on departure day. This time, however, I felt very calm and relaxed. I know we'll still encounter minor problems during the trip, because that's the nature of these types of adventures, but now I'm more experienced and confident that I can handle anything, plus I have a great "assistant/boss" to help me out!
As the kids began arriving at the airport, we handed them their snack-packs, tagged their luggage, and gave them their emergency contact cards. Once the last student finally showed up (Maaaaayyyy.....), we checked in our bags, took a few group photos, and said good-bye to a nervous, but proud, group of parents. See you in six weeks, everyone!
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