So with Hurricane Irene making its way up the East Coast, I am slowly getting ready to leave for Japan, huddled in a small area by Philadelphia and awaiting “Extreme” levels of hurricane and tropical storm warnings. It’s going to be an interesting weekend.

In terms of Japan, i’ll be flying by Korean Airways with my friend Steffany. We’re set to leave for Monday, so that will hopefully allow us to avoid delays. From there, we’re flying from Washington DC to Seoul, then Seoul to Nagoya. It’s finally settling in that i’m leaving America for nine months, and i’m looking forward to not only the brief orientation with IES, but meeting my host family! I’m going to have a mom, dad, and a 24 year old sister who likes to snowboard. Hopefully, this mesh of generations will help me learn a variety of things, both through experience and conversation.

I will brave flood watches and torrential downpours for you, Nagoya. Here’s to hoping for no delays.

Location: Lansdale, Pennsylvania