Thinking about the money

Medical expenses...$200
Registering Brazilian visa in Brazil...$100
Books and supplies...
Independent Study Project... possible interpreter fees... extra travel...

And my father just asks me: "Did you find that you were able to be thrifty in Central America?...Thrifty when you wanted to or had to..."
--I pause to think. ..

So, of course, the kitchen is where nearly all of the big discussions go down in the Gunderson home. Today I sat reminding myself to breathe deep, or to even breathe normally, in order to lessen the effects of my father's hesitations and sometimes choppy thought processes- where, a few seconds before saying a word, his fingers would come down, sometimes drumming on the table as a prelude to his words... Man how that builds up the intensity, I tell you.
This all has been revolving around my up-and-coming study abroad experience that will be taking place in Brazil through SIT, the School for International Training. You would think that after studying abroad a few times already, I would be used to these days building up to the departure, that I wouldn't have so many questions, and even that the wonder about the trip and future comrades of the program as a whole wouldn't fill me with something of fear... Well, I must contest. The words stating that every experience is unique in itself hold reason.
I do not finish this post on a negative or even on a skeptical note; let's just say an array of feelings unable to be labeled continue to linger...

:).