Final Preparations

In two weeks I will already be in Athens. I cannot wait, and am really looking forward to my time there. It seems like not all that long ago that it was still August, and I was complaining about how far away December was. Time has really been flying these last few months.

I am getting increasingly antsy; I wish there was a time machine so it was already time for me to board the plane. Or, maybe not. After all, I still have a few good days ahead of me here at home, and there are some things that still need to be done. Practicing how to skype with my grandma is one of them. When I first announced that I would be studying in the US for several months, I had no idea that my grandma would take a computer class to familiarize herself with basic computer concepts such as how to use a mouse and a keyboard. Until then, she had always vehemently been against such "confusing technology.“ By now, however, she is able to navigate Google,Youtube, and Skype with relative ease. Still, as she insists she will have forgotten everything when it is finally time for the first real Skype session, we keep practicing.

Djipsy carefully guarding my baggage

I also have to explain to my dog Djipsy that I will be absent for several months. You don't think I can explain this to my dog in a way she would understand? I agree. Yet, I also know that my dog always gets very worked up when she sees me pack my bags to travel somewhere. So I do what any reasonable dog-person would do. From time to time I will get down on her level, and tell her about my long trip which lies ahead but that I will be back shortly after her 13^th birthday. Maybe the fact that she always looks at me sadly, and tries to lick my face is a sign that she does understand me after all?

One of the things I am wondering about the most is how I will like the food over there. I love food. There is just one problem. I have some dietary restrictions and tend to be somewhat picky as well. Will I get tired of eating hamburgers even though I love them so much? I already know that I don't like Hershey's chocolate, and that German chocolate is rather expensive, so what brand will be my new go-to-chocolate brand? You get the idea.

Needless to say, I am also thinking about and looking forward to the classes that I will be taking at OU and all the interesting people I will be meeting as well. But before that can happen I first have to survive about 18 hours of travel to get to Athens. I have high hopes that my flight on the morning of January 1 might not be totally packed, and that flying will go smoothly as I am not a fan of bumpy flights.