It's for real!

Well, the bags are packed. The clothes folded. The textbooks ready, the new-book smell preserved. And I can hardly believe that the next time the sun sets I'll be halfway around the world. I guess these things always approach slowly and ridiculously quickly at the same time, and while I recognize that fact, it's still inevitably a surprise. But, regardless of how prepared I am or not, I'm off to Beijing tomorrow morning. So before I leave the U.S. of A., I just wanted to send out one more heads up.
I can't imagine what it'll feel like to land in Beijing. I can't smell what Beijing smells like, or hear what Beijing sounds like just yet. But not knowing these things just makes me more excited to find out. I can't wait to speak Chinese (or rather, try miserably) for the next eight weeks, to look around at my surroundings and soak up everything I can. Doubtless, it'll be an experience to remember for a lifetime.
But none of this could be possible without the Light Fellowship and Duke University. So before I embark on maybe the best summer of my life, I want to thank these two groups for the chance they've given me. They're unbelievable.
But enough of this. The next post will be the first from China, and, I promise, far more entertaining than the past two. Zaijian!