10 Days

     I leave in ten days. Every time I tell myself this I just start laughing. This is so crazy.
     My extended family goodbye party was yesterday. My aunt made me a Christmas tree shaped cake with birthday candles on it to make up for the celebrations I'll be missing while I'm gone, and all my relatives gave me Christmas and birthday gifts (money sneakily wrapped in boxes and bags). And so I spent one last Sunday on the river surrounded by the smells of beer and hot dogs and regular dogs.
     But saying goodbye wasn't emotional or hard really because this just doesn't feel real. The whole time I was trying to get it into my head that I wouldn't be seeing those people for the next ten months, but I just couldn't. In fact, I only started getting sad when I had to say goodbye to my grandparents' fourteen year-old chocolate lab who is going to be put to sleep this week...
     In other news, I picked up a few extra little things for my host family today. Their gifts include: a book about my hometown, a CD of classic southern American music, a razorback key chain/bottle opener (I'm from Arkansas), a deck of cards that say 'Arkansas' and have ducks and deer and some trees or something on them (I'm going to explain that Arkansas is filled with backwoods hill people who shoot things), and some candy (Skittles, Starbursts, Reeses Pieces).
     There are lots of things to stress about, but of all of them what I'm dreading most right now is cleaning my room. But let's be honest; I'm probably just going to throw everything into random bags and boxes and tell my mom it's all stuff I want to keep. Yes, of course I want that blank, wrinkled sheet of graph paper and that Summit Bank piggy bank from 2nd grade.
     I'm sooooo close to what I've been waiting for for sooooo long that I've become a little bit paranoid. I keep thinking that it's too amazing; something bad is going to happen to keep me from going. But all I have to do is survive the next ten days. I've been extra careful lately when crossing the street or driving or walking through my room in the dark.
     Well, wish me luck! Next time I write, I will be in thousands of miles from home surrounded by strangers!
     Just kidding, I'll post again before I leave.

Today's Song: "Death" by White Lies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTh9IuSTOY0

Sincerely,
Anne


                                                      Here's my fabulous cake!