Hey,

So it's Sunday, I leave on Thursday. I'm really excited to go on Thursday and I'm just sitting here contemplating my time here in San Diego. 4 years ago I did not expect to be going away to Israel for college, in fact, college seemed like a mere afterthought to me socially dominated priorities of a high school freshman. I'm working on getting packed a day earlier than I'd usually pack because my Dad seems to think that I should finish all the packing early then goof off later, and I agree with him, even though I'm going to have to find what to wear and my anxiety about the trip will only heighten with the packing. I am used to packing for weekend trips, and every year I pack for camp, but going away for 9 months is a big deal. The idea of not being with my parents for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, their anniversary, my birthday, the list goes on. Its an interesting idea that I can't seem to comprehend right now, but I'm sure the full effect of it will hit me when those dates occur. I'll continue to keep you posted. I leave in about 80 hours, it's scary.

-Z