Yo!!!!🇴🇲 🎉🇴🇲 🎉🇴🇲 🎉🇴🇲 🎉🇴🇲 🎉🇴🇲 

I am so excited to be traveling to Muscat for the summer. Of course the decision to return to Oman was made as I was boarding my outbound Muscat flight this past January, but I honestly did not think it would happen so soon. It came up several times during the Spring but nothing was really manifesting. I kind of just kept it in the back of mind, but just didn't see it going anywhere. I thought I was going to have to sit this one out. 😟

Just thinking about this whole process makes me so thankful. I feel like I am always talking about being thankful and blessed, but it's because its so true! This all came together in a matter of a couple weeks. I leave in exactly a week (actually this time next week I'll probably be in Chicago) and will stay for two months! 😲😲😲😲  

💖💖💖💖💖💖I'm thankful because not everyone can just make that decision and drop what they're doing and go halfway across the world in such a short notice. And this is because of all of the amazing (and ridiculous) support system I have whether it is coming from downstairs (my parents y'all, not satan), thirty minutes, or 8,000 miles away. Really y'all, I want to cry. 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

I have been so stressed (well ish, it mostly comes at night) because of the planning, budgeting, and organizing that comes with it of course. Thankfully the flight is booked as well as the accommodation so I am a little more relaxed. Thinking about it now, I don't think it's exactly stress but more like anxiousness of all the things that can go wrong. But, like I said, I'm sleeping a little better now (JK I always sleep well). 

A couple of things to mention, I was looking at the weather yesterday around midday and my phone said it was 106F. . .. . ..😓😓😓. I am complaining about 88-90F so we'll see how this goes. 😨😎 That's literally like 16 degree difference. I am thinking about how it feels when it's 74 F compared to 90F. I am just hoping that at 95F + it all just starts to feel the same. LOL.

Ramadan will also begin a couple days before arrival and last a month (July 5th). Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. It consists of fasting (from a few things including food and drinks) from sun up to sun down. To my understanding restaurants and cafes are closed during hours. Everything will probably be a bit somber during the first month. Even as an a non-Muslim, you have to show some #respek so you are not allowed to eat/drink/chew gum in public during fasting hrs, you'd want to dress extra modestly, you know be low key (something, I as an American have a hard time doing 😜)

And last but never least, I am so excited to see my host family and N!!!! I can't wait to see his little face. 😫  Over the last few months, from the pictures I've been getting his legs just look super long and his face has gotten a little less round. So I will be so happy to see him (and everyone 😜). 

Of course I'm going to keep blogging throughout the trip and i think it'll be a different experience from last time so there'll be new things to talk about.