Hello All!
My first flight is in about 6 hours, and I have yet to sleep. I'm trying a reverse jet lag strategy, if there is such a thing. Everything is packed and in the car and I'm all ready to go. It still hasn't hit me that I'm leaving the country for almost an entire year. I think I'm either so used to traveling or I've just psyched myself out to the whole idea of being gone for a year that it won't phase me. Either way, I'm still really excited about this opportunity and the adventures that lie ahead.
So advice for anyone packing for a long trip, make a checklist of everything you need before you start packing. It serves two purposes: first you get a clear idea of thing you need and how much and two helps prevent overpacking. I found myself overpacking and when I attempted to slim down, my mother insisted that I need this and that. We actually got into an argument about coats and sweaters. Apparently I need an outfit for every weather outcome known to man.
Here is a portion of the blog for thoses who didn't know I would be leaving America for a year:
I've been studying Chinese since I was freshman in college, and sometime during my freshman year I was interested in joining the Chinese Flagship Program at IU. After I joined the program, I've been working toward this goal of living in China for a year using the language at Nanjing University in Nanjing (Think of it as the midwest of China). After a semester there I'll be doing an internship hopefully somewhere else in China. So that's the gist of the program and what I'll be doing for the year.
I have an address for where I will be during the first 4-5 months in China, but I'll share that later when I get to Nanjing. And, I want to give thanks to all the friends who took the time out of their days to spend some time with me before I left. It really means a lot to me, and I will miss all of you.
This is the first of many posts of my year in China! Come back for updates and pictures of my trip abroad.
-MC
