It's so close I can taste it......

And it tastes like General Tso's.


I can hardly believe it, but in just three more days I'll be heading towards (drumroll please)-- SHANGHAI CHINA -- to study/travel/party for 3 and a half months. If you haven't spoken to me about it in person already, I can tell you now that I am more than excited about this trip- i've been thinking, talking, and reading about China (a great book that my Uncle Neil sent me called oracle bones) almost nonstop since I was accepted to this program! I even made a failed albeit half-assed attempt to learn some language via-podcast.

All that being said though, I honestly have no idea what to expect- im excited but clueless. I remember feeling the same way 3 years ago before I took my backpacking trip to Europe and I was totally blown away by the experience. I can only imagine that spending time in China will have the same if not a greater effect on me then that trip.

While I'm in China, I hope to use this blog as a semi-personal journal, not only to allow you to follow my travels and adventures but also to discuss some of my daily activities, conversations, thoughts, jokes, pictures, etc. so that years down the road I can look back at it all. I'll try to keep all of my public entries Pg-13 and I'll look into creating a private feed for all of those rated R stories (sorry mom- but I am in college). I also enabled open commenting on the blog and encourage everyone and anyone who reads it to drop me some advice, ask me questions or just check in and say hi.

I will also be updating my travelblog that I used while I was in Europe (i've posted a link to it on the right margin at the top) everytime I travel somewhere in China. It has a cool interactive map and I will probably add majority of the pictures I take to the albums on it.

More to come.....