Pre-Departure....Jitters?

Well, I guess it is about time I get this going! I now have a little less then 12 hours before the first plane takes off and all I can feel is excitement. My bags are almost packed to the best of my ability (minus those little odds and ends that I suddenly remember and have to do a run around the house for) and my mind is focused on the trip ahead. For those of you who are not completely clear as to what I am up to for the next year, this is the scoop! I am flying to Dakar, Senegal (if you don't know where Senegal is, check out a map, as my description of where it is involves hand signals, which cannot be conveyed on a blog very well) where I will be staying until December 21st. First I will have orientation with my program and then I will be plunged into living Senegalese style with a host family (who I know nothing about as of right now). The first two thirds of the program will consist of taking classes in French, Wolof (the dominant African ethnicity of the area) and various cultural workshops. After that period we will each be conducting a research project, on a subject of our choosing (although it must somehow relate to "national identity and the arts", which is the program title) and present it at the end of the program. Then I will say au revoir to Senegal, and Bonjour Europe!! I will be off on the second part of my adventure to Europe, more specifically to Vienna to study music (I couldn't think of a better place to study music, so I guess this will do).
For now, my jitters consist of so much excitement that I forgot one of my shoes in the glove box of my car, and eating my final meal in the U.S (Thai food, oh how I will miss you). Once I am settled in Dakar, I will be sure to post again, but for now, I'm off for lands yet charted by this lone ballardite!