Sitting here in a dorm room I’ve never been in, counting down the hours before I leave for a country I’ve never been to is one surreal experience. I’ve traveled a lot in my life, whether it has been driving across country from my home state of Oregon out here to Pennsylvania to visit family (multiple times), to flying across the ocean to visit Japan last summer, I feel comfortable in my ability to visit new places. Yet, this is the first time I have felt truly anxious before leaving. Maybe it’s because I don’t have family with me, or perhaps its because this experience is related to college, either way this time there is something different, something exhilarating.

As I’ve previously expressed in my first blog post, I am excited to go on this trip. However, now that I have obtained the itinerary, and I know what I will be doing on each specific day, I can anticipate every experience. Being someone who constantly uses technology, it will be interesting to do site visits of companies like Samsung and LG who’s technology I use on a daily. I was also surprised to see that we will be going to places like the DMZ. Seeing that were so busy every day tells me that this will be a trip I will never forget.

Now, as it gets darker outside, I’m reminded that this trip is only so many hours away. Honestly, the long flight time is daunting, but knowing what’s beyond the ocean horizon is what will keep me going. The next time I will be writing here, I will be in Korea. I’m truly grateful to the Plus3 Program for accepting me, and allowing me to do this experience. These next two weeks will be great, I’m not predicting this, I know this will happen. I’m truly looking forward to arriving in Seoul!