DAT

Countdown: roughly 11 hours

I am taking the dental admission test tomorrow morning...press your thumbs/cross your fingers for me...I am hoping to do well.

I am planning on responding to everyone's emails that I have not been checking for the past week due to the massive cramming for the DAT. I am looking forward to joining the real world again.

I will post again when I am finished.

Goodbye language school!

On Friday, I had a wonderful time at the Alameda Bowl with all my fellow co-workers. It was great to get out and talk one last time before I take off. Thanks everyone for this wonderful, challenging, learning experience...I will never forget my time here!
Keep in touch!

Wann wirst du endlich erwachsen?

literally translated:

"when will you become grown up?"

my answer to this question is still to be determined but in nine days, I feel that the answer will be become ever more present because I am leaving Mills to join the real world. I am in the midst of packing up all my stuff and taking care of loose ends as you can see in these three pictures.






When I was packing last night, I found an old blue and white checkered summer dress that I remember wearing 5 years ago, when I was still in MN, to a friend's confirmation. I remember, at this moment I was so excited to be graduating from high school and also, that this dress was brand new, which made me feel so pretty.

Now, I look at this dress and I see two things. I see how far I have come in (1) my taste in clothing and more importantly, (2) my growth here at Mills. I guess, last night, I realized in this dress and with packing up all of my things that I am going into a new phase just like I did 4 years ago, and while I don't know what I will be doing in the next four years, I know that I will look back and think of how much I have grown. What I do know is that my adventures in HH and elsewhere will be an important part in answering the question of when I become grown up.



After several hours of packing, I took this picture in my realization that I am heading to Hamburg in 2.5 weeks :) So excited!

less than two weeks

I am counting down the days until my life takes another path. I am leaving Mills after 4 wonderful, amazing, inspiring years and it is still hard to believe. Lately, I have been struggling with feelings of homesickness and final goodbyes while having feelings of excitement for a new adventure in Hamburg.

Some things that I will miss:

1. Kemps ice cream
2. The beautiful Mills campus
3. All my friends that I have met at Mills
4. San Francisco
5. Exploring Oakland for wonderful unique neighborhoods like Lakeshore, Piedmont, Rockridge...

Things that I will not miss:
1. the news stations here in CA (absolutely horrible...)
2. my job as a resident director (it was a good experiece, but never again, thank you)
3. living in a dorm
4. saving quarters for laundry

You get the idea...I am ready to move on and to start a new chapter in my life...less than two weeks...I can't wait...

Gulp...

Yep, I did it...today, I bought my plane ticket to Hamburg!!

After months of searching cheap airticket sites (i.e cheaptickets , airfare and kayak ). I found the best ticket. It was exactly what I budgeted to pay for this ticket, but gulp, it was still a good chunk of change.

But after the inital shock of the dent in my bank account, I am starting to be extremely excited to being with Flin and being in a foreign country. I can't hardly wait to start exploring HH.

sums it all up

3 weeks left at mills
5 weeks until I am in Hamburg!

Here is a song that I think sums up my feelings right now as a current graduate...

Through the dark
By KT Tunstall

As I walk away,
I look over my shoulder
To see what I'm leaving behind

Pieces of puzzles
And
Wishes on eyelashes fade

Oooooh!
How do I show all the love
Inside my heart?

Well this is all new
And I'm feeling my way through the dark

And I used to talk
With honest conviction
Of how I predicted my world.
I'm gonna leave it to star gazers
Tell me what your telescope says

Oh, what is in store for me now?
It's coming apart...

I know that it's true
'cause I'm feeling my way through the dark.

Try to find a light on somewhere
Try to find a light on somewhere
I'm finding I'm falling in love with the dark, oh yeah

Oh oh what do I know I don't care
Where I stand

From a troubles are few
As I'm feeling my way through the dark
Through the dark
I'm feeling my way through the dark