The Day Before Departure

Tomorrow at 7:00 AM, I will embark on a plane to Shanghai, China for four months. Now, I am nervously tapping my fingers on the table realizing I have less than 10 hours at home.

For the last month especially, I have been grappling with a lot of different emotions. Mostly nervousness for the unknown. I find myself most content with life when I am enjoying the comfort of routine and the familiarity of my own surroundings. So the fact that I must live in a foreign country by myself frankly scares me.

However, I’ve had to reframe some of my thoughts. While the unknown of this trip still perpetuates in my head, I know that I need this time away to grow as a person, meet people with different perspectives and stories, and make some memories of my own. I am most excited to make friends from different parts of the world. I hope other students’ differences and varying experiences will open my mind and expand my intellect. I am also stoked to explore the bustling city of Shanghai and all of her wonders. I am picturing myself immersed in the sights, the smells, and the atmosphere of every landmark I visit.

I also wanted to take this time to reflect my gratitude towards my loving parents. They have provided me with endless support and warmth this summer, especially towards the end where they have helped me prepare for my journey. I also want to say a huge thank you to my best friends Ariana, Bailey, Meghan and my boyfriend Tyler for supporting my decision and comforting me through my doubts about this trip.

My goal is to write blog posts as often as possible (let’s say once a week). There are going to be parts of the trip where I will be inundated with coursework and studying for exams, but I want to do my best to share with you everything I am feeling and experiencing as you are all so important to me.

I will now end with a quote from St. Augustine: “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.”