Exactly one year since SAS

So it is exactly one year since Semester at Sea started. I am uber excited to be leaving for China but at the same time sad that I will be missing all of my family and friends here in the United States. Apparently it takes 8 weeks to become conversationally understandable in a foreign language so I am about to go through hell for 2 months before I understand Mandarin enough to go to the grocery and buy a banana. I just want to let everyone know how much they all mean to me. I will miss my family so so much and I have had a lot of fun in WI. I will miss the water skiing but maybe I will get to go snow skiing this winter. I have one wish for a fall present... want a nice black wool coat. Thanks.