Preparing for an Adventure

I am currently perched on my bed in Arlington, VA with my dog, Murphy, by my side. Murphy is sleeping, but he occasionally opens his eyes and looks at the floor, which is scattered with a giant suitcase and many of my belongings, with a look of terror (Murphy has come to realize that suitcases symbolize the departure of someone he loves). Similarly, I too look at my suitcase with a twinge of terror, but mixed into the combination of emotions that have been swirling in my head are sadness, wonder, and excitement. I am sad and scared to leave all of those who make the juice worth the squeeze: my friends, family, and mon petite chou for 4 months. Yet when put into perspective, I must remind myself that 4 months is a pathetically small amount of time when compared to an entire lifetime. Plus, those 4 months will be spent in Thailand, the "Land of Smiles." Despite these expected and natural feelings of apprehension, I am overwhelmingly excited to explore a country that I have never been to before, meet new people, have once in a lifetime experiences, and work on issues that relate to social justice, a topic that I'm extremely passionate about. 

I leave in 3 days, on Thursday, August 20th, and it's hard to believe that I am less than 70 hours away from a plane flight that will take me across the world to Japan and then onto Bangkok. Although I am sure to be paralyzed with fear on both flights, I must remind myself that this is an opportunity that few are lucky enough to have, and one which will have life-changing impacts (at least I hope so!). I am young, in love, and ready to expand my mind by learning from the world and its people...I can't think of a better time to have a whirlwind adventure in Thailand!