T-3

I meant to post a week or so ago, but the site didn't seem to be working right; sorry it's been so long, folks!

I am now three days and 13.5 hours away from boarding the US Airways flight at MSP that will transport me to Charlotte, North Carolina, then to Frankfurt, Germany. I went through a period of anxiety, worrying and stressing more about not being in Minnesota than about being in Germany. I even found myself having nightmares at home as I packed my bags, three consecutive nights of not being packed as it was time to leave for the airport; a bad, baby-filled, sleepless flight; but then, arriving in Frankfurt and being shown around by Felix, displaying my ability to converse somewhat in German, yet knowing, even in my dream, that there were some things I simply had to revert to English to convey.

I am now fully out of my house in St. Paul with a car full of stuff to haul back to my parents', a living room full of stuff at my parents' to haul down to my room, and... well... a room full of stuff. Ha. Hopefully this Germany thing will help me to sever some connections to material goods. I must say, it's greatly challenged my organizational skills, as I've come to realize that I take comfort in meticulously sorting and recording everything I am packing. (I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing...)

So, I'm currently living out of two bags stuffed in my trunk and anxiously attempting to finish copying documents, hemming pants, and trying to keep my brain from exploding. I said my first goodbyes to important people these past few weeks (a huge thanks to everyone who showed up at my au revoir!!) and am starting to realize just how long and yet how short a year is.

I'm not sure when next I can post, as I do not know when I'll have a chance to sit down and access the Internet in Germany. Monday, I fly; Tuesday, I'll spend with Felix in Frankfurt; Wednesday, I register for the IFK (Internationaler Ferienkurs) in Trier and move into my room for the year!

Bis nächste Post!