I should really be sleeping.

This Sunday was exactly three weeks before I leave. On Saturday I said it a couple times and it really felt light years away. Then on Sunday I really thought about it by days and. .. . . . .. it's so soon. Honestly, I go back and forth from far and soon. It's about the way you look at it, you can say "oh, it's 18 days away" and it feels far. Or you can take it week by week see how busy you are and how you really only have 2 weekends left. Voila, my schedule:

Week of 7/20: This week I have work till Thursday. On Friday morning I have to take my mom to renew her passport. There is an Eid potluck at work around 1pm, then right after I will go to my friend V's house for a sleepover.
Week of 7/27: It's the same week schedule, but Friday morning I am leaving to go to South Carolina. I'm visiting my old youth minister to help her lead a retreat for her new church group. This retreat has been in the work for several months and I initially didn't want to go. This was due to the fact that I wasn't feeling mentally well. Now, some months later, I am feeling much better and they were short on people, lucky for me. I am excited to spend time with old friends and make some new ones. I have a small part in it, so I need to practice that before I leave. We come back Sunday afternoon and that evening is the Nicki Minaj concert!!! I am so excited!! I went her concert, where she opened for Britney Spears, almost exactly four years ago.
Week of 8/3: On Wednesday I will have dinner with some Legacy members as a goodbye, Thursday will be my last day playing of work at the IRC and my last soccer match with them. Friday I may spend with my girl friends, and Saturday I will definitely spend with my family.

SUNDAY 8/9 Then it's wakey wakey early to catch my 8AM flight for my new home for the rest of the year. And do my first solo travel trip. The nerves wouldn't be bad if I was going to let's say Mexico, where I know the airport and it's a straight shot. But this. . . This is a full, 24 hr day of travel, 3 cities, 3 countries. My generous host parents purchased my ticket and the travel is the best I saw. I saw some for 40+ hours and more cities. And I already looked at the seats and ALL good. I'm on aisle for the 14 hr flight and although window view would be cool, it's not as cool as NOT having to crawl over 2 sleepy people to go to the bathroom. All in all, I am excited to put myself in this position of solo travel and see what I got.

So after this riveting and exciting sneak peek to my last weeks in the states, seems pretty quick no? Feels good to be busy.

I am still in need to get my things together. I know I can take two 50LB bags with me, but will it be necessary and can I even carry those around the airport? 5 months is quite a minute though.

I am not very nervous. but the natural worry is there. I hope I adapt and learn quickly. And make as little mistakes as possible.

I will update probably once a week before I leave, then hope to maintain a steady flow of posts while abroad to document and share my experience.

my longer posts take the shortest time to write,
melissa

(PS. Hope to improve my writing)