Its the Final Countdown

Well everyone, the single-digit countdown is on! Six days from right now, I will be on a plane flying over the Atlantic. Its crazy to think that departure day is so close, and terrifying to think of how much I need to get done before then. Like any smart and well prepared student, I have not yet begun packing or attempting to figure out what I will need for my semester in Morocco. I am living in blissful denial that I have to fit 4 months of everything in to two suitcases, a carry-on and a backpack (although the upside is my new backpack is as legit as they come, its a Swiss Gear mountain pack and I am pumped about carrying it around) and instead spending my days amusing myself with books i've read a thousand times and playing  with my dogs. Its a weird feeling- I know I'm going and I'm certainly read for it, but it hasnt really hit me that in six days I will be living in North Africa.

In the interest of having another post (so I keep in the habit of writing) I am going to toss out some details of how the trip there and first few days are going to go. Starting with the epic process that is getting there, welcome to the First Few Days!

Step one: Loading the bags. (August 21, 6:30pm)
       We are going to fit my luggage and my entire family (because my siblings are FINALLY HOME!! and on Sunday dad will be too, so for 3 days we get to be a complete family again) into Mom's SUV then cruise over to the airport. Dad is going to check my bags, then I will bid adieu to my family, get through security, grab the best bagels you can buy in the US from the coffee shop, and sit down to wait.

Step two: Hotlanta!!
       Of course, my flight connects in the (to use my best friend's words) Bermuda Triangle of domestic flights airport. So I'll get to Atlanta, hop on over to terminal F and get through customs (possibly making a final Chick-Fil-A run if I have time) and board the plane to Paris. Its roughly an 8 hour overnight flight and Dad managed to snag me a window seat, so I will be making use of some delightful sleeping meds and passing out for hopefully most of the flight.

Step three: Get to ORLY.
       In Paris, I have to switch airports (Charles De Gaulle to ORLY) and have been given 7 hours to do so. So I'll disembark from the plane (hopefully not too groggy from my sleepy meds), collect my luggage, catch the bus that connects the two airports, go back through security, eat a delicious french croissant, and sit down to wait for the next flight.

Step four: Casablanca <3
       I fly from ORLY, Paris into Casablanca, which will take about 3 hours. Its going to be murder for me to be in the city and not be able to run to Rick's, but that airport is where I will be meeting several other International Students headed for AUI, so their company will keep me from ditching the airport.

Step five: The last flight.
       From Casablanca I (along with my newfound classmates) will be taking a 50 minute flight over to Fez. Fez is a decent sized city, and the only one in Morocco where the school will send a representative to pick you up. There is a group of roughly 12 of us on that last flight, and we will all be taken to the school together.

Step six: The drive. (August 23rd, 2:00am)
       AUI is actually located in Ifrane, which is an hour drive from Fez. So the last leg of the journey is getting to the city, and trying to stay awake long enough to check into the rooms, meet my roommate (if she is already there) and get my PJs on before giving in to delirium and passing out.

Its going to be a crazy 28 hours, but full of adventure and completely worth it in the end. Who I will be living with is a mystery, but I'm really excited about the opportunity to go in blind and spend the semester getting to know whoever she is.

August 23rd is a day off, and will be spent looking around campus/getting to know my roommate/sampling local cuisine/and trying to get on a normal sleep schedule.

International Student orientation begins on August 24th, and is a three day process of paperwork, choosing classes, and all the other stuff associated with being at a new school. I'll get to meet all the other Study abroad students, and hopefully some of the full-time students and faculty. I cant wait to see how the school is organized, and start taking classes again. Once I have an idea of what my schedule will be i'll put it on here, as well as a more detailed description of orientation.

I'm not sure if i'll post again this side of the Atlantic, so just in case, Ma'alsalameh! See y'all from the cross roads of European, Arab and African cultures and my newest place to call "home."