And . . . he's off!

Drew's flight to Bogota via Atlanta boarded at 8:09am, so we arrived bright and early at the airport in Orange county at 6am.  After we checked his bags, we found the lower arrivals level of the airport was deserted, so we sat there and chatted (took pictures) until it was time for Drew to go.

Drew never wants to be in our photos.

But we insisted!

We watched him go through security . . .

and then he stopped for a last goodbye.

Here's the letter we got the next day:

Hi guys.

The plane ride was really long and kinda hot, so I didn't really get to sleep that much. When I landed in Atlanta I met up with like 17 other missionaries, like 8 elders and 9 sisters, or hermanas. We all flew to Bogota together, and I guess we're all a part of the same MTC class. The MTC only has like 50 or 60 people in it--it kinda feels like adult EFY. Most of the missionaries in my group are going to Ecuador though. Only 2 others staying in Colombia, so it feels like I'm making friends with all these people I'll never see again. I went to the money exchange when we landed in Bogota, so i have a lot of Colombian cash, lol. 

The p-day schedule here is really weird. It alternates like every Tuesday and Thursday? So the next time I write it will be next Thursday on the 25th, and then after that it will be Tuesday the 30th. I got my name tag so i look official, and the Latins all like me because I said I didn't like American football and I would play soccer with them, lol. I understand a lot more Spanish than everyone else in my group so I think it's a good sign for me!

-Elder Woodmansee

Bogota Colombia MTC