this is just to say (with apologies to WCW)

• that I will be thoroughly pleased when every other thought in my head no longer has anything to do with whether or not I have enough socks.

• that I don't know how nervous I ought to be (which is why I'm probably not TOO stressed)

• that as excellent as the Burg is... 1.5 months of vacation is quite enough
• that backpacks are complicated
• that my respect for Rick Steves now lies somewhere between God and my mother (not really)
• that I am so psyched to live out of only 2 suitcases. Talk about de-cluttering my life!

...yeah, that about covers it for now.

OH! And that for some reason, knowing that they're providing bedding for me makes the prospect of arriving alone & out of my element SO much more manageable.

now, that really is all :)

yesterday when you were young, everything you needed done was done for you

VICTORY!!

My visa has been approved, and they are sending it back to me within the next few business days. Not that I was really that worried that I'd be approved... Just that it's unnerving to be leaving from Washington, D.C. when your passport is hanging out in Los Angeles, CA. 

And now onto finding luggage and realizing how much I'm going to miss everyone. I greatly underestimated how much nervous energy goes into leaving the country for a few months. I'm still thoroughly excited, but now it's less of a daydream-y kind of excitement and more of an "if I can make it on the airplane in one piece, then I'll be thrilled" feeling....which, I suppose, is pretty cool in itself :)