Monday January 4th, 2010. 3 Days until Departure.

"Are you excited?" They ask. Shoulder shrug. Smile. Back to shoulder shrug. "Yeah, man. Nah, man. Not sure what to be excited for." I'm going to a country that's got a high of 4 degrees the day I'm arriving with 5 hours of daylight. I've never met any Norwegians, nor do I know how to pronounce the places people have told me to go. I have no clue what the people will be like - will I stand out? Will I look normal? Are sweats okay (They goddamn better be)? Can I hug people when slightly inebriated? What are the new rules? How does society work? How does being American affect how people will see me? How does being Jewish affect how people will see me? How will I do alone across the world with limited abilities to stay in touch with the people I love? "Are you excited?" "Nah, just stressed out. Stop asking questions. I've got enough of my own."

But in another reality, I'm very excited to go. To experience something new. To establish myself somewhere else. To make that Faux Pax of hugging someone who doesn't want to be hugged. To pack my bags, arrive somewhere, and figure out how to get where I need to go. To take Norwegian society classes and compare it to everything I've ever known. And to eventually come back home having grown as a person with good stories to share with good people.

- Jonathan