Okay.  I get up later today (it's 12:07 am Thursday, January 29) at 4am to go to the airport!  My flight from Cleveland to NYC takes off at 6:10 am.  I'll arrive at JFK in New York City around 8:30 where I will hang around until I meet up with the rest of my group at 2:20.  i have a $10 Starbuck's gift certificate so I might just roam around JFK with some fancy, decaffinated frou frou drink until 2:20 rolls around.  We will then leave together at 5:30 pm for South Africa which will take around 18 hours of flying time.  Ugh...

It's almost surreal to be going now.  I've known for over a year that I wanted to study abroad in South Africa.  I've been telling people over the past year that I would definitely be going, but not until this point has it really registered with me that, yes, I will be in South Africa...until mid-May!  Of course I'm very excited to be going and I know that this is an excellent opportunity for me, but I still have some lingering regrets.  I will be missing out on all my friends from school and the day-to-day excitement of life in Hider House.  I'll be missing several shows my band has this winter and this upcoming spring.  Rock for a Reason at Malone University in April is going to be HUGE and I'll be missing out on that too.  I know that I'll have a lot of friends, family, and love to come back to though, so I can't be too upset!  Yet, I can't help but feel like I've been short-changed/hampered by study abroad (again)!!!!  But, whatever.  Once I get there, I know that it will all be worth it and everybody will be here when I get back.  

If I survive the agonizingly-long flight without killing myself, you can be sure to expect more from me.