First blog

Oh my, the first blog.  So at this point I have purchased my plane ticket, registered for my courses, paid the upfront cost of the program (all but my food and the like), purchased and received my textbooks, contacted my host family, applied for and received my visa (by far the most difficult part of the process), paid a final visit to Houghton, and even enhanced my wardrobe for the occasion.  Now I wait.  I wait until my last day at work ends.  I wait until August 24th arrives.  I wait until I leave my family and friends behind at O'Hare's security checkpoint.  At this point the gravity of my decision to leave the country by myself, travel to a new place where they don't speak my language, and stay there for four months will finally hit me.  Man, I'm pretty excited.