Hello Goodbye

I have less than a week now before I leave for the airport! I couldn't be more excited about the trip, but it's really starting to hit me that I'm not going to see a lot of my friends or family at all this summer. After being at college a whole year, giving up seeing those people is not easy. I haven't seen some of my high school friends since graduation or Thanksgiving, and I might not have the opportunity to see them again for quite some time. Summers are also when I spend time with my grandmother (who is amazing) and I'm going to miss that this summer. Not to mention that I am going to be away from my parents and brothers (and dog) for a very long time.

So. I am going to make this trip count.

Two Weeks and Couting!

I'm leaving in two weeks exactly, and I actually feel semi-prepared and on schedule! Last time I went to Greece I packed half the night before and half the morning of, but I don't think that's going to cut it for a ten week trip. I've done a lot of research and read a lot of travel writing to wise up and learn from others' mistakes, and www.ricksteves.com has been an unbelievable tool. If any of you are planning on hopping off to Europe any time soon, go to his site first. It's a treasure chest of free information on Europe and travel in general. A lot of it is taken right out of his travel books word for word, so save yourself the money and check the site first!

I have also been trying to teach myself Modern Greek, but I've gotten lazy and stopped memorizing words and phrases. Hopefully I'll convince myself to pick that back up again before I leave. What's been most helpful believe it or not is the music -- it's a great way to familiarize yourself with the sounds of a new language and to start learning about a new culture.

Also, REI has a lot of clothes that are SPF 30 or 50+. Since I am completly unable to keep up with sunscreen, their sunshirts are how I'm going to survive the Mediterranean sun this summer. Check it out if you're planning on being outdoors a lot this year. You may think tans are pretty, but skin cancer is definitely not.