T minus 3 hours.

I expect most people who will read this blog are people I know, but on the off chance you don't know me, here's the story: I'm a third year English major at the University of Victoria. I started studying Mandarin on a whim and fell in love with it, and after my second year of Mandarin studies I decided to take it on as a minor. This spring my teacher got wind of a few scholarships to Chinese universities and encouraged me to apply, and I thought, "why not?" So I applied for three or four to different universities, not expecting to hear anything of it ever again. By summer I'd forgotten all about it. And then in mid-July I get a big envelope in the mail with Chinese writing all over it. Inside is a letter telling me I've won a full scholarship to study Mandarin at for a year at Southwest University in Chongqing - tuition, lodging, living allowance and medical coverage all included. And I have to be there by September tenth. And so the mad scramble began. Gathering documents, getting shots, applying for a visa, packing, saying goodbyes...Somehow it all came together, and tonight I get on a plane and fly for 16 hours to a totally foreign country, where I will be living for a year.

So after an epic night of goodbye-partying, a 3-hour sleep, and a horrendous day of last-minute packing, retreiving forgotten items, and rushing to catch the ferry so I could pick up my Visa from the agent before they closed, my journey begins: I'm currently at YVR airport, with only three hours left on my home continent. In less than one day, I'll be plunged into a completely new life. So surreal.

Anyway, the main purpose of this blog is to keep in touch with everyone at home while I have no access to Facebook, which is blocked in China. So say hi and tell me what's up with you!