not much time left stateside!

There's not much to update y'all on yet, other than I finished all of the medical stuff I had to do in order to be allowed in the country (and found out my blood's type O!).

I have this pile in my room of stuff to take to China--stuff like medicine, antibacterial soap, huge bottles of shampoo and conditioner (ok I'm weird about that stuff--I'm not a big fan of Chinese hair products), deodorant (China's doesn't work as well) and stuff like that.  My mom keeps adding to the pile because she'll see something in Target or Wal-Mart that she thinks will be useful.

Memphis has been pretty boring lately, but today was a very special exception because of the ice storm that dumped a ton of sleet and ice everywhere.  We're supposed to get snow tomorrow which does not bode well for my birthday party with my family on Sunday. But just for the record: Ice Storm of '94 > this so called "ice storm." Just sayin. But since it's so cold outside, and pretty boring inside, I've been buying tons of music (ok, also in preparation for the 16ish hour flight from Detroit to Shanghai). So if anyone out there has any recommendations, let me know!

To everyone starting to leave on their study abroad adventures, good luck! Y'all will all be great!

visa

So finally got my Nanjing University acceptance packet today. Nice timing too, since I leave in less than a month...apparently the original packet got lost in the mail sometime over Christmas break. So NU resent it with a tracking number and Ole Miss received it today.

This means I can now apply for my student visa! Except...now I find out I have to get: a chest x-ray, an EKG, blood tests for HIV and the syph, and a doctor to check to make sure we don't have typhoid fever, scarlet fever, polio, meningitis, several other diseases I had never heard of, or various mental disorders.

I had to go to Oxford to pick my packet up from the study abroad office. It felt so weird walking around campus while everyone else had to go to class or had somewhere to be...made me feel like a dropout.

Anyway, my farmville crops are calling. I have pineapples to tend to! Goodnight everyone.

what's left...

Tickets are booked, the Nanjing page on wikitravel is bookmarked on my computer and tomorrow, I'm heading to B&N to buy the Nanjing Lonely Planet guide. Now all that's left is the 1 month wait . . . in which I will:

- grow crops on Farmville (I'm determined to get the Pepper mastery)
- play with my pet on Petville
- probably let my fish die on Fishville

There are a couple of fun trips to Ox planned before I leave, and a trip to Tuscaloosa that's in the works (and yeah, I'm totally planning on paying the Tuscaloosa Wal-mart a visit so I can get my pic made with the National Championship trophy). 

Celebrated Willis's 21st last night, and I do believe we all can consider it a great success.  Next up on the list: my 21st birthday, date party the day after, the premier of Lost (the bomb! Jacob! Not!Locke! OMG), mine and Willis and Sam's joint birthday party and all the celebrating there is left to do before heading off to 中国.

I should probably find my camera charger.

Well ruh roh...

China and Google might be getting divorced...

Hope my Gmail will still work...hope this blog will still work...

In happier news, the SEC is getting de-Kiffined! 

Enjoy being run into the ground, USC.

ETA:

Tickets all booked up, flights finalized, the whole nine yards. 中国, it has been too long.