Preparations and Anticipations

Hoi iedereen,

If you've ever done aerial acrobatics, especially rope or silks, you would know the pre-falling sensation before a drop that's somewhere between "Why am I doing this again?," and the realization that you're capable of doing this without dying and why wouldn't you be up fifteen feet in the air, hanging by your ankles? Add in about a gallon of excitement and anticipatory stomach butterflies, and that's about what I'm feeling right now as I prepare to leave. 

Granted, this is a terrible metaphor as (most) of my friends and family have never done aerial acrobatics, and I don't actually know of any drops that start out with you hanging by your ankles. Oh well, at least I haven't quoted Tolkien yet. 

Today being the 7th of August, I leave in approximately 9 days. My suitcase is somewhat packed, and I have some weight left- hopefully enough that I won't have to wear my heavy winter coat on the plane. I'm not all the way ready, but it's starting to feel more and more like it.  

Last week I got back from an excellent visit to my family in California, where I had a great time, though the train ride back got mixed reviews, as I was placed next to a man who reeked of cigarettes for the second half. But I survived to live the tale, so no worries!

I also said goodbye to my amazing cousin Zane (he's ten), who was going down to California directly after me to visit said relatives. I'm not sure who said that the packing is the hardest part of leaving, but I say that goodbyes are worse. I'm going to miss him a lot, but there's always email, and we spent an excellent evening running around shooting each other with imaginary guns before he left. 

Next week is, among other things, my last week of circus class before I leave, which will also be hard. But for all of the things I'm already anticipating I'll miss and will loose by being away, there's going to be so much more that I'm going to gain, I think, and that's what's really important. 

Also, my host family has a bike for me when I get there, which means I don't have to buy one. Hooray for money saved!

I hope to see many of you who are reading this in the following week, thank you to all (well, all three of you) for the comments! 

And on that note; Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak. For those of you who don't know what I mean, I suggest reading Harry Potter approximately eight times. Or twelve if you feel like it. :-) 

  

Dag,

Irene