Pre-Departure Rantings

Sunday's the big day! I have a solid 2 days to get my life in order before I leave the country for almost ten weeks. Here's a brief outline of the summer I have planned!

-May 24th (aka SUNDAY): I leave Charlotte, travel FOREVER and arrive in Singapore on Tuesday, May 26th.

I will spend 4 weeks in Singapore at the National University of Singapore, studying immigration with 24 other Carolina rising sophomores. Around taking classes, we will be touring the city, seeing the sites, visiting government offices, getting to know some Singaporeans, and trying tons of new things. I must admit, I am quite nervous about these new things, especially the food. If you know me at all, you know new foods are a bit problematic for me. However, I have decided to keep an open mind, and try everything (within reason). We'll also be taking a weekend trip to Melaka, Malaysia, and a homestay with some NUS students.

-June 24th, we will leave Singapore for Bangkok, Thailand. We will be staying at Mahidol University International College (MUIC), about 30-45 minutes outside of downtown Bangkok. We'll be continuing or studies of immigration, and also add Southeast Asian history. A trip to Kanchanaburi to visit villages and refugee camps is also in store.

July 17th: the SEAS program officially ends, however, my adventures are far from over! On July 18th, I will fly from Bangkok to Shanghai, China, to meet a friend and see Shanghai and Beijing for ten days.

July 28th: I leave Beijing to return to good old Oakboro, NC!

I'm really excited for this opportunity to travel Southeast Asia, and I know it will be a life changing experience. Although I'm going to miss my family and my friends, both at home and at Chapel Hill, I am traveling with 24 amazing people who I know will become close friends. I'm looking forward to experiencing cultures so different from mine, and learning from them. It's going to be a fabulous summer!