T - one day till T - stan

I'm sitting at my computer in my pink room, sipping tea and listening to Billie Holiday, and avoiding the obstinate pile of stuff sneering defiantly at the scale, proud of having far exceeded the 100 pound luggage allotment I've received for the next 27 months. My mind is positively spinning, a result (no doubt) of the cyclical emotions I've been feeling: I'm dreading having to say goodbye to my family at the airport, and all of my lovely friends in the interim, but I'm elated at the adventure which is beckoning me closer and closer by the hour! I feel simultaneously nauseous at the thought of missing three consecutive Halloweens, overwhelmed by the task - no, mission impossible - of packing on such a short time frame, nostalgic for flavors I know I won't be savoring for a very, very long time... but underneath the buzz of emotions is a steel wire of excitement and elation, which reinforces that I am making the best (if biggest) decision of my life thus far. I can't dither too much longer, since there are still a million things to do (enter: learn Turkmen) before Tuesday morning at nine, but I can safely say that although I'm sad to leave my rose colored walls, beautiful shoe collection, Nida's Thai on High, the most stimulating friends and loving family I could have ever imagined, I am thrilled to start the going process. I'm thrilled to turn the "see you later"s to "nice to meet you"s, and to switch from the leaving process to the going process. I don't know when I'll update this blog, since internet access is going to be fleeting and unpredictable, but check up periodically to read on life in a different universe - I mean, Turkmenistan. In the meantime, bisous a tous!