It's the Final Countdown

Well, it's the final countdown (my apologies to anyone who now has that catchy song stuck in their heads).

I can't believe I leave in just under two weeks. The summer flew by. Though I haven't had a ton of time to think about the fact that I'm leaving the country and won't be back for ten months, I feel very prepared and am incredibly optimistic about what's to come! 

It was scary for me to make the decision to study abroad for a full year rather than just a semester, but I am so happy I did. As I get older, I'm realizing that of the many things I have done in my life, the ones I gained the most from and am so happy to have done were the ones that made me step outside of my comfort zone. The most memorable ones are: the German exchange program in high school; PAWs, a super fun pre-orientation camping trip before I started college; UNH Alternative Break Challenge, when this past spring break I hopped into a big white van and drove down to Georgia with people who were strangers on the way there and good friends on the way back; and joining Slow Food UNH and then becoming an officer of this great student organization where I met some of the most inspiring and passionate people I know. 

Boarding a plane in two weeks and leaving behind the familiar, comfortable life I have here in the United States will be tough. After all, people are creatures of habit. I'll miss my friends, family, and UNH community. But I know there is so much more to  explore and discover in this world. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to take this risk and all the challenges and successes that will come with it. It's time to sail away from the safe harbor and throw off those bow lines. Germany, here I come!

^ the inspiration for this post ^

Many sites attributed this quotation to Mark Twain, but apparently Mark Twain is very frequently misquoted (poor guy), and these words were not his. According to Huffington Post, this quotation "belongs to H. Jackson Brown's mother." (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-lovell/thats-what-he-said-quotin_b_4282800.html).  Who knows how accurate the Huffington Post is either though. 

Regardless, I really liked the quotation and found it highly relevant to the adventure I am about to embark on.