MaineCourse

Departure

9:30 PM

Diane did the math and decided that Matt and Hil would be calling between 8 and 9 PM. She went upstairs earlier to wait under the covers and I just ran up to say something like, “Well! It’s 9:30 and they haven’t called. Aren’t you worried?” And I would have, but she’s snoring too loudly to hear me.

11:30 AM

Fun facts we now know about Esteli, the town Matt and Hil will be spending most of their time. For the home stay families this can be their only income so they are quite grateful for having boarders. They don’t have hot water - Matt will miss his lengthy showers - and the families do all the laundry on wash boards. Taxis in Esteli to any other part of Esteli costs thirty-five cents.

Earlier when I wrote about how we were going to the airport, I didn’t mean me. Diane and Lou took the kids, stood in line, and waved an early security proscribed goodbye. Diane reports they both appeared happy and confident, and that their leg to Miami arrived an hour early. Matt has strict instructions to call from Esteli tonight, and tomorrow night and at least once a week after that. If he wants to check-in more often, fine, but those are my bare minimum demands.

This turned out to be much harder for both of us that I could have imagined. Diane didn’t sleep and when she returned chose the couch in the living room rather than be reminded of her fitful night in our bed. The couch didn’t help and now we’re both wondering when our next sound sleep will come. My guess is after his second call when he tells us he’s okay, and his voice confirms it.

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Outside Hil's house before the ride to the airport.

Matt's surprise going away/birthday party was a surprise and from the parent-in-a-corner's view, a rollicking good time. Now, however, it is 4:30 AM and we're off to the airport. What a fine, stomach in knots, sleepless night I had. I suspect Diane's was not much better.

Matt is 17, right? I think we can all relate to your stomach in knots sleepless night. Be sure to keep us updated when you hear from them.

Posted by chris.

Indeed, it was a fun night, but also hard to say goodbye. Matt and Hil will be missed. Hope to hear from them soon.

Posted by newbie.

I have a very soft bed in a quiet room with soothing sounds from the lake waiting for you. Duffy is a great therapy dog who guarantees his services. Let me know when to pick you up at MSP.

Posted by shinydome.

Mike & Diane had a sleepless night, but presumably, Matt slept like a log, right? I wonder how much sleep Beth & I will lose next spring when Katie heads to Grenada? Lost sleep is just one of those parts of growing up (parent's growing up, of course). We all got our lifetime's quota of sleep when we were teenagers.

Posted by rakkity.

A fun fact you left out, Mike: telephones in the third world are few and far between, and calling internationally is often only from 'long distance calling shops' where you must stand in line and have all kinds of local coinage to pay for the call in advance.

Hope this shoothes your worries in case you did not hear from Matt last night.

Posted by Smiling.

Hey, Dan, how about flying down there to see if they are okay? You can call me in my quiet room at Torroemore.

Posted by mike.

I was luck enough to catch the party on Saturday. And I even had a chance to talk to Hillary. When I suggested that she and Matt spend next summer in Hawaii, she replied, "Great, just lie on the beach instread of helping people."

Hats off to the parents for raising such courageous souls, who will indeed challenge the world to become a better place.

When I went to Japan, I spoke with Mac and Helen over the first Christmas holiday, and didn't talk on the phone over the next two and half years...
And that was with state of the art communication.

Posted by peter.

Posted by Michael at July 11, 2004 04:32 AM