Tomorrow, 11th Avenue Hostel reopens its doors to the public, welcoming travelers with open arms.
Here's the thing about opening after a renovation: you're not actually prepared.
Somehow, even after years of planning for and dreaming of this day, we are still not ready. It's organized chaos reopening a property that's been covered in a thick layer of drywall dust for two years. There is a lot of "this goes there!," and "who put this here?" and "this is still dusty?!" yelled throughout the empty halls. They somehow feel so small when they're not filled with the life and excitement accompanying all our guests.
Then, there's the virtual world that needs to be updated of our presence. The thousands of calls and emails ensuring the i's are dotted and t's are crossed and we are ready, and our doors are open, and arms flung wide.
After all this time, all this hoping, praying, working, sweating, crying, praying some more, and feeling so very tired, we are here. The windows are cleaned. The carpets are vacuumed. The beds are made. We are sleepy, but we are here.
We can't wait to share our finished project with everyone!