In just two days time I am flying to America to start my year in Pennsylvania and I am ready. I know my parents do not believe that because I haven't finished packing, but I am.
Yesterday I had to say goodbye to Adam, the last big thing on my tick list, and now I am ready to go. There are other goodbyes to be said, other things to be done, but I now feel like I am done with England and am ready for my year abroad. Of course I have absolutely no idea what to expect, how I am going to cope with sharing a room, what I will eat for a year or how my classes will be, but that's ok. I didn't want to over think about everything before I went, build up ridiculous expectations or disaster scenarios in my head. Next year will be what it is.
I have my visa and my accomodation, my flights and hotel booked, I really am leaving on Monday.
I don't like being in limbo, I don't like the wait before new adventures and new experiences where you are just stuck at home wishing you could start right now. So I'm glad these last few weeks are done, that I can stop thinking about leaving and start thinking about living abroad instead.
I wanted this blog to be useful to people going on or thinking about a year abroad, I envisaged neat posts with lists of things to take, top tips and advice for applying for visas and navigating the embassy, but I couldn't do it. The posts I try to write sound false and forced, I am not an authority on these matters, I am not someone who has done everything right and who can loftily share my wealth of knowledge. So instead I write my thoughts, my feelings and silly things to do with my life. I want to share my year on this blog, but I no longer wish to focus on administration, facts and processes. This is where I want to share my life, and perhaps even that will be helpful to people who are going on or thinking about a year abroad.
In two days I arrive in the US and in three I will see my university in person for the very first time. It is terrifying and exciting and weird and wonderful all at once. I don't know who I will meet, where I will travel, what will be the highest and lowest points of the next ten months, but I do know that I want to experience them all fully, that I want to embrace this whirlwind crazy experience.
Wish me luck.
