Eeeeeek...

13 days.....and I will physically be in China. Yet, I still don't have my VISA. Yes, we were told that our visas may not arrive until 7 days before our trip, but this whole trip kinda rides on me having a visa. What's the alternative, you may ask. Well, I guess I could work my way up the corporate ladder at Honeybaked Ham for a semester, earning a degree in glazing (very intensive program). Thankfully, I still have faith in CET despite the fact that the head organizer of our trip recently jumped ship to pursue a masters degree, leaving behind his "colleague" to lead us on our academic journey. None-the-less, the countdown has begun in earnest. All that stands in my way is a little more work and a shopping spree. Unfortunately, this spree is for toiletry items, which will last for my entire semester. Apparently some essential toiletries are difficult to find in China, especially deodorant (I hope this is not a strong indicator of my future roommate's hygiene). Speaking of my roommate, if anyone has any good ideas for gifts to bring to my roommate, please let me know. I don't want to seem rude within the first hour of our meeting.

I can't help but feel nervous as the trip approaches. Everyday I begin to feel a little more overwhelmed by the prospect of my trip. I don't exactly know what to expect. I am going to be the MINORITY. I will be a blonde haired, 6'0" freak (ok 5'11") among a darker, tinier nation. Furthermore, I CAN NOT speak Chinese (despite two years of education). Yes, I know basic phrases, sentence structure, ect., but if I were dropped in China I would barely be able to find a meal much less a restroom. On top of that, I would really like to have a career involving the Chinese language. This is a huge opportunity that I really can't afford to botch at this point. So, wish me luck. I'll post once more the night before my flight to NYC. Then I promise the posts won't be so boring.

Thanks for reading and/or ignoring my rants, both are appreciated.