Departure's Eve

The 'lasts' kill me. The last night sleeping in my own bed. The last meal with my family. The last time to drive a certain route. The last time to hear the dogs bark, the piano being played, and the toilet flush. Recognizing the 'lasts' makes me so much more acutely aware of everything I normally take for granted - the small pleasures that are part of my daily routine. 

It's time, however, for a break in this routine - I can accept that. Part of what makes this experience so important to me is that it will force me to go outside my comfort zone, something I think every teenager needs. When I start to feel too young for this, I remember some of my international friends from high school, who left their families to come to the U.S. at even younger ages. I know it will be a challenge for me, but I also know it will be so much fun, and so rewarding!

I leave tomorrow at 8:10 for Washington, D.C. (via Charlotte) for a Pre-departure Orientation before flying on to İstanbul (via Frankfurt) for another orientation before finally arriving in Adana (by plane? by bus? by train? I've yet to find out) on August 30th, my birthday!