We finally made it through customs in the international airport called Maiquetia. All five of us flew together from Miami.  Once we had all of our luggage, we started the walk across the bridge that seperated us from the loved ones and host families waiting on the other side for fellow passangers and exchange students(us). There was such a huge crowd of people it took me a few minutes to realize where my host brother Fran was standing. There all of the exchange students parted ways some of us wouldn't see eachother for a few weeks or months until we met back up for rotary meetings or district meetings and a few we wouldn't see again because they were in the other district. 

Fran took me through the mess of taxi drivers that tried to get me to go with them in their taxis(apparently you had to be careful with that and I was grateful that my host brother had been able to meet me in Caracas.) We spent the night in a local hotel because our flight to San Antonio was not for another 9 hours more or less and flights only leave and enter that airport at specific times.  When we arrived at the Hotel we were in the lobby and Fran told me to get out the Bolivares he had previously given me. He bought a Frescolita and had me try it, when I took out the money I was not sure how much to give the gentleman and so I fanned out the money in one hand and Fran picked out how much we needed.  I preceeded to make a phone call to my parents telling them I had met up with Fran and that I was safe.  We chatted for a little bit and then decided to get some sleep.  When we arrived at the airport the next morning for our flight, we had my first meal in Venezuela which was a cheese empanada and orange juice.  I didn't like it too much because of the cheese but I would come to love empanadas all the same with other ingredients inside.  One of the exchangers from the previous flight was at the airport when we got there with her host cousin so we chatted for a little while until our flights left.  When we were on the flight my host brother had me try Malta which is a famous drink there, I didn't care much for it, it's one of those drinks you either like or don't like though I'm not sure there is much room to aquire a taste for it.  When we got closer to San Antonio Fran told me to look out the right side of the plane and I was able to see the mountains in Colombia and on the left side were the mountains in Venezuela.  We landed in San Antonio which is a very small town that is on the border of Venezuela and Colombia.  It was a very small runway and the airport itself was one room. There was military personel and the baggage claim if you could call it that was a half circle where people had to stand outside to put the bags back on the belt until they were claimed. (much different than anything I was acustomed to back in the States) We met Pancho, my host dad, and then started the 2 hour drive back to what was to become my home and favorite city thus far; San Cristobal. 

The trip winded through the majestic Andes mountains and I took as many pictures as possible not wanting to miss a moment of it.  To me the driving itself seemed ludicrous as there appeared to be no actual speedlimit.  We stopped to pick and try coffee beans along the way and Pancho and Fran pointed out different towns and cultural things that I would later on come to know and love.  San Cristobal is a beautiful city  surrounded on all sides by the Andes Mountains and the only way out of the city is through the mountains. I later came to find out that the closest airport is about an Hour from San Cristobal.  When we arrived at what would be my new home for the next 3 months or so there was a sign on the front door. It read: Bienvenidos Jennifer, a tu casa.(Welcome Jennifer to your house) My host mom, Marielena, was waiting just inside and so was a friend of Fran's named Cristi.  She told me she had decorated the sign and her and Marielena had set up my room with a basket of chocolates and other treats, as well as a basket with balloons that said Bienvenidos  and a little stuffed animal that played a lullaby.  I would soon find out that Marielena would remind me in almost every aspect of my mom back in New York.  After I put my luggage in my room I intended on getting unpacked but that was out of the question as we arrived just in time for lunch.  This would be my first meal in my new house and it was served by a maid. After lunch Marielena asked me if I wished to call my mom back in N.Y. but since I had already called her in Caracas I said that I was ok.  We preceeded to get to know eachother and do some errands before I decided to go to bed.  I knew from the moment I stepped foot on the plane wednesday morning back in New York that this was going to be a very interesting and exciting year!