Just to preface this blog to any reader:

I am student at Marietta College in Marietta Ohio. This February I'll be traveling to Beijing China for a semester of study at Tsinghua University. This will be in place of my spring semester of my Junior year at Marietta. As a note to the reader I am a licensed private pilot, amateur photographer, and an astronomy junkie. I am sure that throughout this endeavour you will see me refer to at least one of these dimensions of my life.

So I am roughly one month from departure to Beijing. To say the least I am starting to get nervous. I just made the journey down to the embassy in Washington D. C. to get my visa. Holding the visa in my hand on the elevator ride out was a marker in this adventure. Standing there I came to the realization that this adventure was about to being.

So after that realization came the nerves and anxiety. More than any other concern is that for my ability to be successful in the academic environment. I would equate the anxiety that I feel now to that of the day that I went to take my check ride for my pilot's license.

So now knowing that I am about to leave I have been doing the normal pre-departure items. I went and got a will and an advance medical directive. To top it all off I also have had the joy of going to get a collection of vaccines and boosters.

All considered I am still excited about the opportunity to be studying this semester in China. My next post should be around the 13th of February. That post should be from the business class lounge in San Fransisco International Airport.