The big day is here...

...and I am sad to leave all those I love but ready to tackle this new adventure. I first applied for this one year and a half ago, and actually found out that this was going to happen almost one year ago, so I have been anticipating this day for a long while.
The past few weeks have been busy and fun-filled. I have treasured the moments with and the many thoughtful well wishes from family and friends. In early January, my girlfriends from high school and college descended upon Greenville for a weekend and threw a mini-party for me, complete with a Ukrainian theme and a signature drink for the evening, the Ukraini Courtini (thank you Angele!). We had a great time going out, but some of my favorite times were just hanging out at my house, talking for hours and hours.

I've also spent some QT with others I'm close with.

I've really enjoyed seeing family members in recent days...parents, brother, grandmothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., and I'm so glad some of them are coming to visit!

One aspect of this whole experience that has been so heartwarming and valuable has been the willingness of others to help out. The good folks in Senator DeMint's office in DC went above and beyond to help speed my visa process (the letters I needed to submit to the Ukrainian consulate for my visa didn't arrive in December and thus the process was delayed...I received my passport back from the Ukrainian Consulate with my visa in it on Tuesday AM...the day before my flight! Nerve-wracking!). My colleagues in the history department provided American history textbooks for me to donate to the university. David Shi put me in touch with Norton, the publisher of his American History textbook, and they are sending over boxes of books and materials to the Embassy over there. Chris Colvin and Andrew Barksdale collected Furman t-shirts for me to take. Ron Smith, Furman's baseball coach, enthusiastically gave me some baseball caps and childrens' t-shirts, and is dying to figure out a way to get baseballs and bats over.

In recent days, I have been more acutely aware of the subtle things I love about my life here in Gvegas. A few things happened to me today that I will remember. I went to visit my grandmother, who has been in the hospital for nearly 2 weeks (but is leaving tomorrow!), and before I left she gave me the tiniest, sweetest Bible to take with me. She has used it for years and years, and I will treasure it because it came from her. Of course this made me get a little teary, and when I left I walked down the hall and got on the elevator. Beside me was a teenage girl who could be a posterchild for alternative/grunge (think streaked hair, hoodie, etc.). I was lost in the world that is my own head when she said to me in the sweetest voice, "You look like you might be having a bad day. God bless you." There was something so gentle and unexpected about her and I felt this urge to push the closing elevator doors open and hug her. I assured her that I was fine and just about to leave on a big trip and was feeling super grateful that my grandmother is doing better. How sweet of her, though, to reach out to me. St. Francis Hospital sure is a special place (and I'm so proud of my cousin Brittany, who is a nurse there in the Cardiac Care Unit).

Finally, after lots of packing in recent days, my Mom and I spent some great time together today. She has been, as always, such a huge help. We had lunch at my favorite Chinese place, Happy China on Augusta Road, and when I was leaving I opened my fortune, which read as follows: The coming months shall bring winds of change in your life.

I'm ready to see what that fortune foretells!

Please stay in touch, post comments, and let me know you are out there!