How to Pack for 4 Month's Worth of Time

The answer to the above title is...I have no idea :)

Here I am, sitting on my bed, thinking to myself that this is the last night I will sleep in my room for 4 months.  This is somewhat hard to grasp!  I think I have felt every emotion possible in the past few weeks leading up to my departure.  I swear, one morning I wake up really excited, and the next one I wake up freaking out.  Before I actually get to Athens when school starts, 5 of my friends and I will be spending two weeks just traveling around Spain and France and seeing some sights before the program starts.  Tomorrow my dad is dropping me off in little Canby, MN where I will spend the night with my friend Jen and get up early the next morning to drive to the Minneapolis airport.  We then fly from there to Philadelphia and then on to Madrid, Spain. I'm learning a lot just by trying to figure out money situations, travel options, packing, etc...and I haven't even started studying abroad yet!  Or as my brother calls it, my 4 month vacation ;).

It is true that all of this preparing is tricky, but the hardest part about getting ready to leave is the goodbyes. I've been blessed with wonderful family and friends, and this in turn makes it really hard to leave them for 4 months.  You truly know you must have incredible people in your life when it is so so hard to say goodbye.  Even though 4 months will go by in a flash, I still feel like I'm missing a lot!  My brother is in the midst of his first year of Medical School.  My other brother is starting his first year of college.  My littlest sister and brother are cruising through grade school - already in 5th and 3rd grade!  My parents will have their jobs.  All of my friends at CSBSJU and from home will have lived through an entire semester's worth.  It's crazy!  This is why I encourage all of you to keep in touch with me.  I will not have any phone access, but will have internet access the entire 4 months.  I am on Facebook, will have e-mail access, and Skype.  Don't hesitate to send me an e-mail (lchey@csbsju.edu) or a message just giving me an update of what's going on in your life.  I'd love to hear from you, no matter who you are :).  I'M SO EXCITED, but know I will miss all of you and will keep you in my prayers!   Please keep in touch and you will hear from me again once I make it to SPAIN!  Take care!

Peace and Blessings,
Laura