So Much to Do...

I know I haven't updated in awhile--okay, like a month. But there really hasn't been that much going on pertaining to my trip. But here are the updates, anyway.

I got my passport! Woohoo! It's so cool to have this little book with nice paper that allows me to leave the country. It's official. I can officially leave the country. Well, you know, when I get my ticket and boarding pass and stuff. This actually brings back memories of last summer when I was dreaming of this trip. I can't believe it's been almost a whole year of dreaming and preparation. Last summer there were days when I wanted more than anything to be away from here. I wanted to be in England, where no one could get to me. The only problem was I didn't have a passport. Now I do. If I have the money, and I want to go, I could actually LEAVE the country. That's a pretty cool thought. Who knows? It may come in handy someday.

I've also been getting emails from my study abroad advisor and the person teaching the class I'm taking during the trip. Tomorrow night I'm going for my study abroad orientation. I'll get to meet other people who are going on the same trip that I'm going on and find out more about what's expected of me while I'm there. My teacher, Dr. Fran Bender of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, is teaching the class "Beatrix Potter to Harry Potter: British Literature for Children." She sent my class an email the other day with a reading list. Here's what I have to read:

Beatrix Potter: The Tales of Peter Rabbit
C. S. Lewis: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Mollie Hunter: The King's Swift Rider or You Never Knew Her As I Did
Roald Dahl: (title to be selected)
Philip Pullman : Lyra's Oxford
Mark Haddon: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Rudyard Kipling: "If" and three stories from the "Just-So Stories" (available online)
Robert Louis Stevenson: A Child's Garden of Verses (available online)
J. K. Rowling: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

It sounds interesting, doesn't it? I've only read 2 of the books on the list, but I'm going to re-read them. I also found out that I'm flying to Gatwick Airport near London, where I will spend six to seven days. From there we go to Oxford (home of famous epic fantasy authors C.S. Lewis and JRR Tolkien), then up to the Lake District (I hope we get to go to Loch Ness), then to Glasgow, and then to Edinburgh (home of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling--ooh, I wonder if she'll be there!). I'm not sure if we're flying out of Edinburgh or going back to Gatwick on the return trip. One thing's for sure. I'll be doing a lot of road-tripping. I better make the most of each place. That's what this blog is for. I'm going to take TONS of pictures and video which I will post on this blog. That way, even if I can't talk IM my friends, I can let them know where I'm at and what's going on.

I sent in my last payment for the trip, which leaves me with $200 total. Not enough for the trip. So I applied for another student loan. I need at least $1000 to take with me. With the exchange rate, it'll be about 600 pounds. That's enough for food and souveniers. My cousin Katie has already put in her order for a British scarf. I plan on getting one for myself as well. Plus t-shirts from everyone I go, maybe some keychains and snow globes and some interesting other tidbits. Just whatever strikes my fancy. My friend Meg has told me to bring back food, like candy bars that we don't have over here.

I'm getting nervous the closer I get to the trip. I was hoping I wouldn't. I was hoping I'd be fine. I thought I'd be fine. But I'm getting nervous. I shouldn't be, though. I should be excited and looking forward to it. Maybe after orientation I'll feel better. I need some encouraging stories. I also need to watch "The Terminal" again. That movie made me excited about airports. I'm actually excited about flying. I'm looking forward to watching a movie without having to rent it. Yeah, I know, everyone says to sleep on your flight. I'll probably end up taking a nap, because I can't sleep well unless I'm in a bed. But to pass the time, I'm watching movies. Or reading. Or both. Depends on if I have anything to read. I might buy something before I leave.

There is so much to before I leave. I'm slowly getting everything I need (it's mostly stuff that I can use in my dorm room next year, too, so I'm not wasting money) and getting everything turned in and set. The only big thing I'm irky about doing is telling my boss. I have to tell him. Soon. Very soon. Mom offered to come with me. At first I took it as another thing people think I can't do. But now I'm thinking I'd like to have her there. That's probably why I SHOULDN'T have her there. I think I SHOULD tell my boss myself. After all, she won't be there all the time to help me. I'll have to do things myself. I promised myself I would tell my boss by the end of March, and now it's almost the end of April. I must tell him by the end of this month. I think Saturday would be a good day. I'll have plenty of time.

So that's pretty much it. I'll try and update more as the final countdown comes around. I'll start the countdown on March 12, one month before I leave. Until next time!