Winter Is Coming...

Fall Term has officially come to an end here (thank Jesus) on my senior year at Augustana which means that I have 1 ten-week term left before I say farewell in the spring.  In this upcoming Winter Term, I will be taking a 1 credit seminar with the professors that I will be traveling with to Ireland, and as they so joyously informed me, this seminar will be taking place every Thursday at 7:30 in the morning.

Hoo-rah. T.T

However, I can't let early rising get me down on the eve of Spring Term! As the Spanish say: Quien madruga, Dios le ayuda (God helps those who wake up early).  I am looking forward to these meetings because I will be learning very much on what to pack for the trip, the conduct to be upheld in a foreign country, methods of finding hostels to stay at if I travel on my days off...all important and interesting stuff! Will I be conscious enough to retain this information at 7:30am? Who can say for sure?

The beginning of this journey both creeps up slowly and sprints to the starting line.  2 of 3 payments have been made, I am going to apply for my passport today, and my parents are already thinking of the coats, hiking boots, suitcases, and other supplies that will take the place of my usual Christmas presents (though I will of course ask for a book or two!). One of my roommates asked me recently if the reality of this trip has hit me yet, and I honestly think the answer is both yes and no.  Yes because if I think about it for longer periods of time I begin to feel butterflies in my stomach. No because I don't believe I will truly feel the effects until I am right there at the gate in the airport hugging my parents goodbye.  Even as I right this, my heart picks up speed thinking of how difficult yet exciting that farewell will be...

Only 1 term to go!