The countdown begins...

In exactly 10 days I will leave home and begin my traveling. On January 15th I will fly to San Diego. I will spend two nights there and then take a shuttle to Ensenada, Mexico. On that day, January 17th, I will board the boat, which will become my new home for the next 3 and 1/2 months of my life!

I'm so excited, but still have so much to do! It is hard to imagine now all the things that I will need for 109 days- especially when I'll be going to 10 different countries with varying weather conditions. Luckily, I am a pretty light packer, always prepared for weather conditions, tend to be very organized, and probably won't buy/accumulate too many things while I'm on my trip....... For those of you who don't know me, I am being very sarcastic.

I pack four bags when I go away for a weekend, how on earth can a cram a semester's worth of things into just two bags?!

What I said about never checking the weather could work to my advantage. I never look at the forecast while I'm home and never dress appropriately for the weather now anyway, so maybe I'll be fine while I'm away. For example, I left my winter coat at home when I went back to school after Thanksgiving- not because I forgot, but because I told my mom "I wouldn't need it since I'd be home for Christmas in no time." (Let me tell you, 3 weeks is more than enough time to make you realize that moms are ALWAYS right.) I also wore moccasins without socks in the snow on several occasions. And I don’t even think I own an umbrella. In fact, I'm so wrong about the weather, I'm actually a good indication of what the weather is NOT going to be like. So, under these circumstances (traveling the world), while others are freaking out because they forgot their “water-proof, snow-proof, insect repellent, snap-off, zip-up, convertible hiking gear," I'll be content in whatever I'm wearing.

However, this doesn't mean that I won’t find a reason to buy things that I "desperately need” for my trip. I’ve been known to spend money a little too freely, sometimes even money I don’t have (I may have overdrawn my bank account a few times, one of them being last week). You should have seen the look on the guy at the bank’s face when I told him I’d be traveling to 10 different countries. I don't know who is more nervous, him or my parents.

Needless to say, this trip is going to be an adventure... but then again, with me, it always is.