Here it is!

Alright, so about 8 million different people have told me that I HAVE to create a blog to document my little adventure, so here it is! I've never done the blog thing before...let's see what this turns into.

As of right now, it's T minus 3 days till departure.... Saturday December 31st I'm leaving to go work at IBM in Germany for the next 8 months....am I excited or a bundle of nerves? I think the most accurate answer to that would be that I'm an excited bundle of nerves. I'm sooo pumped, but this is definitely one of the biggest things I've done in my life and it's really scary.

I almost feel guilty sometimes about thinking of the negative aspects of this trip. I'm leaving all my favorite people behind, I'm coming back broke and offstream in school.....but then I think....DAMN! I'm going to GERMANY!! And then it's like, oh ya....this is awesome, I remember now. I think this whole thing is harder on my mom than it is on me.

Sometimes I think 8 months is too long, and sometimes I think it's too short.....I have a feeling this trip is going to be both. What an experience though...I really can't wait to start. I'm going to come back with so many things that I didn't have before.....a whole new skill set and a whole lot of culture.

This whole thing is extra awesome, cause even though I'm about as Canadian as you get, waaaaayy way back I've got German roots. My parents still own the piece of land that my grandpa's grandpa settled when he immigrated to Canada (which they now produce maple syrup on....the ultimate Canadian occupation :P )

You know...I know that I'm going...I KNOW it....but I just don't believe it yet. I'm not sure when I will... Maybe the night before when I finally finish packing, zip up my suitcases, and pile them by the door? Or maybe not till I'm at the airport saying goodbye to my family? Maybe not till I land.... I guess I don't have too long to find out.

I went on exchange for 3 months to France when I was 17....it was amazing and I loved it...and I know I'll love this. But I also know that the first month is going to be super tough...

So leave me some love people ;) Keep me posted on all your goings-on back in the land of hockey, Eskimos, beavers and mounties!

xoxox