Traveling Blues

       2 MORE MONTHS! 2 more short months until I fly over the Pacific (or is it the Atlantic?)  Ocean to Japan! This trip has been the ABSOLUTE anticipated event that 11 lucky students have been waiting on!

If you guys don't know, GATE stands for Global Awareness Through Education. This outstanding program started 2 years ago. My "GATE '13" group (we are traveling in the summer of 2013, hence "13" in the name) is actual the inaugural class! Freshman apply for a spot in the group, which consist of an essay and phone interview.

The intelligibility is restricted to Freshman because it is a 2 year program. Students will be taking "GATE classes ". These classes are core classes every majors has to take anyways so you don't have to add on extra classes, which is always nice :) These classes are taught by UT Tyler professors that have graciously agreed to tweak their class to put in a global prospective on their lesson plan. Students also participate in various global activities held on campus by Central for Global Education ( CGE).

These include from outstanding lectures from FBI agent s to ambassadors at the UN, and even Foods of the World! If you are interested in attending these events, check out the GATE facebook page!

     As I said, 2 more short months, well more like closer to 3 actually since we just started March, but we leave DFW on May 23rd! We have to be there to start check out by 7:30 a.m. I must add! This leads me to the not so glamorous part of traveling that I do not enjoy....

1. Waking up SUPER EARLY  to drive to the airport. 
2. Checking in. Yes, I know this is for safety but it takes FOREVER! (have you guys noticed how impatient I am?)
3. The flight is 13 hours long! 13!!!! This is not good for people who are nauseous the whole time during a flight like myself :(
4. Packing. oh boy... about this, I tend to over pack anyways.. so what do I do when I have limited space and a weight limit to pack for a 5 week long trip?! Our GATE adviser told us to pack for just a week and a half worth of clothes. That's is easily said than done, especially for girls! WE LIKE LOTS OF CLOTHING OPTIONS! 
5. Cell phones, credit cards, computers, student insurance cards, vaccination.. well all those have to be figured out. I must talk to my cell phone providers and bank to inform them I am leaving out of the country!

Fortunately, I will be traveling by plane

In general, these are the knitty gritty stuff that's not as much fun to think about and do. So, as our trip comes closer, I really have to buckle down and tackle these pre-traveling stuff and get them all figured out! Don't get me wrong I am VERY much excited to go, and I probably sound negative talking about the trip, but these are the stuff I get so anxious about when it comes to traveling! Do you guys have tips for me? I have traveled abroad mutiple times but NEVER without my parents, so any suggestions would help! :) I would really appreciate that! 

I will post more stuff about t pre-trip activities and thoughts as the day comes closer! And be ready ready to see LOTS AND LOTS of pictures of Japan when I come back :)