(FIRST POSTING OF 2008 EXCHANGE) One Week!

(Nick)

ONE WEEK.

I can't even believe it. Cady, Drew, Emily, and I have spent almost an entire year preparing for our trip to China and I can't believe it's finally coming! We spent the whole fall semester taking a Chinese language class and a Chinese history class. With so much China in our lives these days, it's put us in the position of, "Can we just LEAVE already?" Our time has finally arrived, the moment we've been waiting for, and working for, for the last ten months.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, because I definitely am. I'm not really worried about the travel part, but I am a little anxious about the actual exchange portion. What will they think of me in Hangzhou? Will my host families like me? Will I get along with my host brothers? How am I going to survive with my minimal Chinese language skills? These are all questions I ponder over, and will continue to ponder over until I get to Hangzhou after close to three weeks of traveling all over China.

This anxiety, however, is of course low in comparison to my incredible excitement for this trip. Right now I can't even imagine how excited I will be as I am experiencing the long flight over the Pacific Ocean. This is going to be such an incredible trip, and I am so ready for it (I've been ready since my freshman year of high school). At this point I can't imagine my senior year without the China Exchange Program, and I haven't even been to China yet! I look forward to updating this blog throughout our journey, and more importantly, I cannot wait to go to China!!!

Zaijian Meiguo (Goodbye America)