T minus 7 (days): one week out

So, I finally got around to setting up a blog for my coming trip to China; turns out it's pretty easy to do if you have a g-mail account.  That's nice because I don't have a whole lot of time to figure out complicated systems.  I plan to post weekly at least, maybe more depending on what my schedule is like.  I'll probably change the site a little bit as I discover exactly how this system works, and I'll certainly add more pictures!

I'm leaving a week from today.  Yeah, it still doesn't seem entirely real to me.  I've got almost everything I need, and I have a running list of things to get before I leave (currently: socks, tennis shoes, jeans and shoe goo), but it still feels really weird to think that 8 days from now, I'll be getting off a plane halfway around the world.  I went to China last summer on an internship, so most of the paralyzing fear of travelling to such a different country has worn off (and believe me, there was a LOT of fear), which is nice, but I might not really grasp the situation until a couple of days after I arrive.  

Anyway, I don't know how many people will visit this page, but if you come here and know other friends of mine (or of yours!) who would be interested in reading, please let them know!  Post the link on Facebook if you'd like; because I don't have a Facebook, I can't stay as connected as I'd like in that way, but I do want people to know what's going on, and this will be the best way to do that, and to stay in touch with me. Please comment if you can!