Tomorrow, my exchange year officially begins!

Tomorrow, my dad will drop me off in Queens at a JFK airport hotel for my gateway orientation.

And I will, as my post title suggests, have officially begun my year as an exchange student.

I feel so EXITED!!!!

Even though I've heard that the orientations are a bit repetitive, I'm so exited to meet all the kids that are in my shoes! I have a very odd feeling of butterflies and tingling in my stomach. :3

My trip to New Jersey has been pretty good. I've just been having fun with my relatives, saying goodbye to as many of them as I can. I was touched at the amount of them that came long ways from their homes all over the East Coast to visit me. :')

I also spent today in New York with my dad! I visited the United Nations headquarters and the Tenement Museum, both of which I'd highly recommend.

I actually had a very funny moment in the UN headquarters: my dad and I were about to take a guided tour, and we noticed that there was an Italian one leaving about twenty minutes earlier than the next English one, and since we'd both be able to understand, we went on the Italian one. xDD

There's not really much else to write about; I've gotten most of my saddest goodbyes out of the way before I left Ann Arbor....One thing about my goodbyes, that surprised me, was that I didn't cry once. o.O And I totally expected to...But I just didn't. I felt calm and collected. It was a little strange...
Although I did have a really incredible, almost zen-like feeling on the flight from Detroit to Newark:
As the plane pulled away from the jetway, and then eventually took off, and the state that I have lived in for 15.5 of my sixteen years unfolded before me - rolling fields, lakes, forests, all blended together into the beautiful Michigan landscape - and being able to see for miles around me without having to even strain my neck, I felt so small. I felt that I was a tiny little being in this huge world in which we live. It was a peaceful feeling of wonder.

Yeah, that's pretty much it. x3

OH!:

One other thing I'm exited about is being able to meet all the Italy-bound AFSers. Since I know the country so well, I can help them practice the language and answer any questions they might have about the culture or the people or just life there in general. :)

I may try to post during the overnight orientation itself at some point, but since I don't know for sure if that will be possible, this may be the last chance I have to post before I arrive IN EGYPT!

So, just in case:

GOODBYE AMERICA AND ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE!!!!

I love and will miss you guys and promise to keep in touch!

Bye for now,

~Nico

On the day I left Michigan with my dad, September 1. Setting off on the greatest adventure of my life so far. 

!the clock in Grand Central Station

My dad and I in the General Assembly of the UN.

we stumbled across the Egyptian office in the UN. 

forgive me, but I totally forgot where I took this. :3

 A really cool shot of a car and a taxi going in opposite directions!