Nineteen Days.

After being scared and nervous and panicky all summer about going abroad, prayers and contemplation brought me a very hopeful peace about leaving.

Now that I am sitting a mere 19 days away from my departure, I find myself ready and wanting to go.

I need to get out of Greensboro. Out of North Carolina. I love my family and my friends, and I will miss them. But there are a few things that I need to get away from and get over. There is a certain level of independence that I need to learn, and I will only learn it by being away from everything and everyone that I love. I also need to learn to depend on God and myself before other people, because several things about this summer have taught me that sometimes, people let you down. It's funny how you think you've already learned that lesson, but when it happens again, you still fall flat on your face.

I've been wise. I've been a fool. I've been mature. I've been immature. I've been happy. I've been unhappy.

But all that matters now: I'll be gone in 19 days.